JP7799148B2 - Compression molding device and compression molding method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a compression molding apparatus and a compression molding method.

One example of a resin sealing device and method that uses a compression molding method to seal a workpiece, consisting of a substrate mounted with electronic components, with sealing resin (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "resin") to process it into a molded product.

Compression molding is a technique in which a predetermined amount of resin is supplied to a sealing area (cavity) in a sealing mold comprising an upper and lower mold, a workpiece is placed in the sealing area, and the upper and lower molds are clamped together to seal the workpiece. For example, when using a sealing mold with a cavity in the upper mold, a known technique involves supplying resin all at once to the center of the workpiece to form the mold. On the other hand, when using a sealing mold with a cavity in the lower mold, a known technique involves supplying a release film (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "film") that covers the mold surface, including the cavity, and resin to form the mold (see Patent Document 1: JP 2019-145550 A).

JP 2019-145550 A

A known configuration, such as the compression molding apparatus and compression molding method illustrated in Patent Document 1, involves placing resin on a film held by a guard and transporting it to a sealing mold. However, with this configuration, there is an issue in that minute gaps form between the guard and the film, allowing resin to enter into these gaps and degrade molding quality.

Furthermore, when the resin is granular, the particles pile up with gaps between them, creating a bulky buildup that can easily lead to leakage from the guard or sealing mold (cavity). If the cavity depth is increased when the resin is supplied to prevent leakage, film wrinkles are likely to occur on the sides of the molded product, which can lead to poor molding quality.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a compression molding device and compression molding method that can improve molding quality by preventing molding defects caused by resin entering between the guard and the film, and molding defects caused by resin leakage.

The present invention solves the above problem by the solution described below as one embodiment.

In one embodiment, the compression molding method uses a compression molding device equipped with a sealing mold having upper and lower molds, a dispenser for supplying resin, a guard with a through hole in the vertical direction, and a pressing member that is in close contact with the inner periphery of the through hole of the guard and can move up and down. The compression molding method seals a workpiece with the resin to form a molded product. The method includes a film fixing process in which a film is placed on the underside of the guard so as to cover the entire surface of the through hole, a lid is placed on top of the film, and the film is sandwiched and fixed between the underside of the guard and the upper side of the lid; and a film fixing process in which the film is inserted through the through hole of the guard. The method includes a film placement step of placing the resin on a film; a pressure member placement step of placing the pressure member at a predetermined position within the through hole of the guard; a resin pressing step of moving the pressure member downward to press the resin against the film; a heat welding step of heating the resin at a temperature that does not fully cure the resin to weld it to the film; and a lower mold holding step of removing the lid that secures the film, and then moving the film with the resin welded to it downward above the lower mold and holding it by suction within the cavity of the lower mold.

Another embodiment of a compression molding method is a compression molding method for sealing a workpiece with resin to form a molded product using a compression molding device equipped with a sealing mold having upper and lower molds, a dispenser for supplying resin, a guard with a vertical through hole, and a pressing member that is in close contact with the inner periphery of the through hole of the guard and can move up and down. The compression molding method includes a pressing member placement process for placing the pressing member at a predetermined position within the through hole of the guard, a pressing member placement process for placing the resin on the pressing member through the through hole of the guard, and a film on the top surface of the guard so as to cover the entire surface of the through hole, and a lid is placed on top of the film to form the compression molding method. The process must include a film fixing process in which the film is clamped and fixed between the upper surface of the guard and the lower surface of the lid; a resin pressing process in which the pressing member is moved upward to press the resin against the film; a pre-welding inversion process in which the guard, the pressing member, the resin, the film, and the lid are turned upside down by 180 degrees; a heat welding process in which the resin is heated at a temperature at which it will not fully harden to weld it to the film; and a lower mold holding process in which the lid holding the film is removed, and then the film with the resin welded to it is moved downward above the lower mold and suction-held within the cavity of the lower mold.

The above embodiment prevents gaps from forming between the guard and the film, preventing resin from entering those gaps. Furthermore, by pressing the resin, the bulk of the resin can be eliminated or reduced, preventing resin leakage due to that bulk. This is particularly suitable for applications where the resin is in granular, particulate, pulverized, or powder form when supplied from the dispenser.

Furthermore, the lower mold retaining step preferably includes a scraping step in which the pressing member is moved downward to scrape out the resin adhering to the inner periphery of the guard. This prevents some of the resin from remaining on the inner periphery of the guard and becoming a source of dust. This prevents molding defects caused by such dust.

It is also preferable to further include a leveling step, prior to the resin pressing step, in which the placed resin is vibrated to level the layer thickness in the vertical direction. This makes it possible to level the thickness of the placed granular resin. This eliminates or reduces bulkiness, preventing molding defects.

It is also preferable to further include a film pre-heating step in which the film is heated after the film fixing step and before the pre-welding inversion step. This softens (melts) the resin in contact with the film, increasing its adhesive (welding) strength, thereby preventing the resin from becoming unevenly distributed within the through-holes when the pre-welding inversion step is carried out. This prevents molding defects caused by uneven distribution.

In one embodiment, the compression molding device is a compression molding device that uses a sealing mold having upper and lower dies to seal a workpiece with resin and process it into a molded product, and is required to include a dispenser that supplies the resin, a guard with a through hole formed therethrough in the vertical direction, a pressing member that is in close contact with the inner periphery of the through hole in the guard and can move up and down, and a lid that covers a film that is arranged to cover the entire surface of the through hole and moves together with the guard to clamp and secure the film.

It is also preferable that the guard and the lid have clamping portions that clamp the film and are formed in a stepped or tapered shape with corresponding engaging shapes. This allows the film to be held in a taut state (a state in which tension is applied to prevent it from bending) by being clamped between the clamping portions. This further enhances the effectiveness of preventing resin from getting between the guard and the film.

This invention can prevent resin from entering between the guard and the film. It can also prevent resin from leaking from the guard or the sealing mold (cavity). This prevents molding defects caused by these issues and improves molding quality.

1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a compression molding device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional view showing an example of a sealing mold of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. 1 . 2 is a front cross-sectional view showing an example of a second loader, a pressing member, and a guard of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. 1. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a guard of the compression molding device of FIG. 1. 1. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing another example of the guard of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. 6A is a front cross-sectional view showing an example of a clamping unit of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. 1, FIG. 6A is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 3, and FIG. 6B is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. 7A and 7B are front cross-sectional views showing another example of the clamping unit of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. 1, where FIG. 7A is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 3 and FIG. 7B is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a compression molding method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 8 . FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 9 . FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 10 . FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 11 . FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 13. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 14. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a compression molding method according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 16. FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 17. FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 18. FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 19. FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 20. FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 21. FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 22.

(Overall structure)
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a plan view (schematic diagram) showing an example of a compression molding apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. For ease of explanation, arrows in the drawing indicate the left-right direction (X direction), the front-rear direction (Y direction), and the up-down direction (Z direction) of the compression molding apparatus 1. In addition, in all drawings used to explain each embodiment, components having the same function are designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations thereof may be omitted.

The compression molding apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is an apparatus that performs resin sealing (compression molding) of a workpiece (molded product) W using a sealing mold 202 that includes an upper mold 204 and a lower mold 206. Below, the compression molding apparatus 1 will be described as an example of a compression molding apparatus that collectively seals multiple workpieces W with resin R using a sealing mold 202 that has multiple cavities 208 (208A, 208B) in the lower mold 206 and multiple workpiece holders 205 (205A, 205B) corresponding to the upper mold 204. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration.

First, the workpiece W to be molded has a structure in which multiple electronic components Wb are mounted in a matrix on a substrate Wa. More specifically, examples of the substrate Wa include rectangular plate-shaped components (so-called rectangular workpieces) such as resin substrates, ceramic substrates, metal substrates, carrier plates, lead frames, and wafers. Examples of the electronic components Wb include semiconductor chips, MEMS chips, passive elements, heat sinks, conductive components, spacers, and the like. Note that other examples of the substrate Wa may also include a configuration using the above-mentioned components formed in a circular or square shape (not shown).

Examples of methods for mounting electronic components Wb on substrate Wa include wire bonding and flip-chip mounting. Alternatively, in configurations where the substrate (glass or metal carrier plate) Wa is peeled from the molded product Wp after resin sealing, electronic components Wb can be attached using heat-peelable adhesive tape or ultraviolet-curing resin that hardens when exposed to ultraviolet light.

On the other hand, examples of resin R include granular (including cylindrical, etc.), pulverized, or powdered (sometimes collectively referred to as "granular" in this application) thermosetting resins (for example, filler-containing epoxy resins, etc.). Resin R is not limited to the above state, and may be in other states (shapes) such as liquid, plate, or sheet, and may be resins other than epoxy thermosetting resins.

Examples of film F that can be suitably used include film materials with excellent heat resistance, ease of peeling, flexibility, and extensibility, such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), ETFE (polytetrafluoroethylene polymer), PET, FEP, fluorine-impregnated glass cloth, polypropylene, and polyvinylidine chloride. In this embodiment, a strip-shaped film that corresponds to the strip-shaped workpiece W is used as film F. However, this configuration is not limiting.

Next, an overview of the compression molding apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the compression molding apparatus 1 mainly comprises a work processing unit 100A, which mainly supplies the workpiece W and stores the molded product Wp after resin sealing; a press unit 100B, which mainly seals the workpiece W with resin and processes it into the molded product Wp; and a dispensing unit 100C, which mainly supplies and stores (disposes of) film F and supplies resin R. In addition, a control unit 150, which controls the operation of each mechanism in each unit, is located in the work processing unit 100A (although it may also be located in another unit).

In this embodiment, the workpiece processing unit 100A, two press units 100B, and dispensing unit 100C are arranged in this order along a predetermined direction (for example, the X direction in FIG. 1). Additionally, any number of guide rails (not shown) are linearly arranged between each unit, and a first loader 210 that transports the workpiece W and molded product Wp, and a second loader 212 that transports film F, used film Fd, and resin R are arranged to be movable between predetermined units along any of the guide rails. However, this configuration is not limited to the above. For example, the dispensing unit 100C may be arranged between the two press units 100B. Alternatively, the supply of workpiece W and the storage of molded product Wp may be performed by separate units. Furthermore, with regard to the loaders, a loader that transports workpiece W and a loader that transports molded product Wp may be arranged separately (neither is shown).

The overall configuration of the compression molding device 1 can be changed by changing the configuration of the units. For example, the configuration shown in Figure 1 is an example in which two press units 100B are arranged, but configurations in which only one press unit 100B is arranged, or three or more press units 100B are also possible. Configurations in which other units are arranged are also possible (neither is shown).

(Work Processing Unit)
Next, the workpiece processing unit 100A provided in the compression molding apparatus 1 will be described in detail.

The workpiece processing unit 100A is equipped with a supply magazine 102 that stores multiple workpieces W, and a storage magazine (not shown) that stores multiple molded products Wp. Here, the supply magazine 102 and storage magazine may be a well-known stack magazine, slit magazine, or the like.

As an example, the workpiece processing unit 100A is provided with a supply rail 104 disposed behind the supply magazine 102, on which the workpiece W removed from the supply magazine 102 is placed. In this embodiment, the workpiece W is supplied from the supply magazine 102 to the supply rail 104 via a relay rail 106 using a known pusher or the like (not shown). Furthermore, the unit is provided with a supply pickup 120 that holds the workpiece W placed on the supply rail 104 and transports it to a predetermined position.

The work processing unit 100A is also provided with a storage rail (not shown) disposed behind the storage magazine (not shown) on which the molded product Wp removed from the sealing mold 202 is placed. In this embodiment, the molded product Wp is stored in the storage magazine from the storage rail via a relay rail using a known pusher or the like (neither is shown). Furthermore, the work processing unit 100A is also provided with a storage pickup 122 and a storage elevator 124 that receive the molded product Wp after resin sealing and transport it onto the storage rail (not shown).

The workpiece processing unit 100A also includes a first loader 210 that moves in the X and Y directions to transport the workpiece W and molded product Wp (in this embodiment, it is configured to be movable into the press unit 100B). As an example, the first loader 210 includes a first holding section 210A that uses a holding mechanism on one side to hold the workpiece W held by the supply pickup 120 and transport it to a predetermined holding position in the upper mold 204. The first loader 210 also includes a second holding section 210B that uses a holding mechanism on one side to hold the molded product Wp held by the sealing mold 202 after resin sealing and transport it to a predetermined position outside the sealing mold 202 (e.g., a position to be held by the storage pickup 122). However, this is not limited to this, and a separate loader that moves in the Y direction to transport the workpiece W to the sealing mold 202 and a separate loader that moves in the X direction to transport the workpiece between units may also be included (not shown).

Here, the holding mechanism for the workpiece W in the first holding section 210A is configured to be arranged in two rows side by side in the left-right direction so that it can hold two strip-shaped workpieces W. Similarly, the holding mechanism for the molded product Wp in the second holding section 210B is configured to be arranged in two rows side by side in the left-right direction so that it can hold two strip-shaped molded products Wp. However, this configuration is not limited to these. Note that the above-mentioned holding mechanism may be a known holding mechanism (for example, a clamping configuration with holding claws, a suction configuration with suction holes connected to a suction device for suction, etc.) (not shown).

The workpiece processing unit 100A also includes a workpiece heater 116 that heats the workpiece W from the substrate Wa side (the side on which the electronic component Wb is not mounted). As an example, the workpiece heater 116 uses a known heating mechanism (e.g., an electric wire heater, an infrared heater, etc.). This allows the workpiece W to be preheated before being carried into the sealing mold 202 and heated. Note that the workpiece heater 116 may not be included in the configuration.

(Press unit)
Next, a detailed description will be given of the press unit 100B provided in the compression molding apparatus 1. Here, a front cross-sectional view (schematic view) of a sealing mold 202 provided in the press unit 100B is shown in FIG.

The press unit 100B is equipped with a sealing mold 202 having a pair of molds that can be opened and closed (for example, a combination of multiple mold blocks, mold plates, mold pillars, and other components made of alloy tool steel). In this embodiment, one of the pair of molds, which is on the upper side in the vertical direction, is the upper mold 204, and the other mold, which is on the lower side, is the lower mold 206. This sealing mold 202 is closed and opened by the upper mold 204 and lower mold 206 moving toward and away from each other. In other words, the vertical direction (up and down direction) is the mold opening and closing direction.

The sealing mold 202 is opened and closed by a known mold opening and closing mechanism (not shown). For example, the mold opening and closing mechanism may include a pair of platens, multiple connecting mechanisms (tie bars or pillars) between which the pair of platens are supported, a drive source (e.g., an electric motor) and a drive transmission mechanism (e.g., a ball screw or toggle link mechanism) that move (raise and lower) the platens (all not shown).

Here, the sealing mold 202 is disposed between a pair of platens of the mold opening/closing mechanism. In this embodiment, the upper mold 204, which serves as the fixed mold, is assembled to the fixed platen (a platen fixed to the connecting mechanism), and the lower mold 206, which serves as the movable mold, is assembled to the movable platen (a platen that rises and falls along the connecting mechanism). However, this configuration is not limited to this; the upper mold 204 may be assembled to the movable platen and the lower mold 206 may be assembled to the fixed platen, or both the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206 may be assembled to the movable platen.

Next, the lower mold 206 of the sealing mold 202 will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 2, the lower mold 206 comprises a lower plate 222, a cavity piece 226, a clamper 228, etc., which are assembled together. In this embodiment, a cavity 208 is provided on the upper surface of the lower mold 206 (the surface facing the upper mold 204).

More specifically, the cavity piece 226 is fixedly attached to the upper surface of the lower plate 222. Meanwhile, the clamper 228 is configured in an annular shape to surround the cavity piece 226, and is attached via a biasing member 232 so that it is spaced apart (floating) from the upper surface of the lower plate 222 and can move up and down. The cavity piece 226 forms the innermost (bottom) portion of the cavity 208, and the clamper 228 forms the side portion of the cavity 208. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, two sets of cavities 208 are arranged side by side in the X direction in one lower mold 206 (208A, 208B in the figure), and two workpieces W are resin-sealed (compression molded) together. However, this configuration is not limited to this.

Here, a suction groove (not shown) is provided on the mold surface 204a of the upper mold 204 facing the clamper 228, and this is connected to a suction device (not shown). Furthermore, by providing a seal structure surrounding these, it is possible to evacuate the cavity 208 while the mold is closed by driving the suction device to reduce the pressure.

In addition, this embodiment is provided with a suction mechanism that suction-holds the film F (in this embodiment, with resin R welded thereto) supplied from the dispensing unit 100C (described below) to the lower mold 206. As an example, this suction mechanism includes suction paths 230a, 230b that penetrate the clamper 228 and communicate with a suction device (not shown), and suction path 230c that penetrates the lower plate 222 and cavity piece 226 and communicates with the suction device (not shown). Specifically, one end of suction paths 230a, 230b, and 230c leads to the mold surface 206a of the lower mold 206, and the other end is connected to a suction device disposed outside the lower mold 206. This allows the suction device to be driven to suck the film F through the suction paths 230a, 230b, and 230c, thereby suction-holding the film F against the mold surface 206a, including the inner surface of the cavity 208.

In this way, by providing a film F that covers the inner surface of the cavity 208 and (part of) the mold surface 206a of the lower mold 206, the resin R portion on the underside of the molded product Wp can be easily peeled off, making it possible to easily remove the molded product Wp from the sealing mold 202 (lower mold 206).

The gap of a predetermined dimension provided between the inner surface of the clamper 228 and the outer surface of the cavity piece 226 constitutes part of the suction path 230a. Therefore, a seal member 234 (e.g., an O-ring) is disposed at a predetermined position in the gap to provide a seal when the film F is sucked in.

In addition, in this embodiment, a lower mold heating mechanism is provided that heats the lower mold 206 to a predetermined temperature. This lower mold heating mechanism is equipped with a heater (e.g., an electric wire heater), a temperature sensor, a power source, etc., and heating is controlled by the control unit 150 (all not shown). As an example, the heater is built into the lower plate 222 or the mold base (not shown) that houses them, and is configured to apply heat mainly to the entire lower mold 206 and the resin R (described below). This allows the lower mold 206 to be heated and adjusted to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C).

Next, the upper mold 204 of the sealing mold 202 will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 2, the upper mold 204 is configured by assembling together an upper plate 224, a holding plate 236, etc. Here, the holding plate 236 is fixedly assembled to the underside of the upper plate 224 (the surface facing the lower mold 206).

In addition, in this embodiment, a workpiece holding section 205 is provided that holds the workpiece W at a predetermined position on the underside of the holding plate 236. As an example, this workpiece holding section 205 has a suction passage 240a that penetrates the holding plate 236 and the upper plate 224 and communicates with a suction device (not shown). Specifically, one end of the suction passage 240a leads to the mold surface 204a of the upper mold 204, and the other end is connected to a suction device disposed outside the upper mold 204. This allows the suction device to be driven to suck the workpiece W through the suction passage 240a, and the workpiece W can be adsorbed and held on the mold surface 204a (here, the underside of the holding plate 236). Furthermore, a configuration that includes holding claws (not shown) that clamp the outer periphery of the workpiece W may be configured in parallel with the configuration that includes the suction passage 240a. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, two sets of workpiece holders 205 are arranged side by side in the X direction on one upper mold 204 (205A and 205B in the figure) to correspond to the cavities 208 of the lower mold 206, but the present invention is not limited to this.

In addition, in this embodiment, an upper die heating mechanism is provided that heats the upper die 204 to a predetermined temperature. This upper die heating mechanism is equipped with a heater (e.g., an electric wire heater), a temperature sensor, a power source, etc., and heating is controlled by the control unit 150 (all not shown). As an example, the heater is built into the upper plate 224 or the die base (not shown) that houses them, and is configured to apply heat mainly to the entire upper die 204 and the workpiece W. As a result, the upper die 204 is heated and adjusted to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C).

(Dispense unit)
Next, the dispensing unit 100C included in the compression molding apparatus 1 will be described in detail.

The dispensing unit 100C includes a film supply mechanism 306 that supplies film F and a dispenser 312 that supplies resin R.

As an example, the film supply mechanism 306 is configured with two film rolls 306A, 306B each having a winding/unwinding mechanism, and a cutting mechanism (e.g., a known fixed blade cutter, a heat melting cutter, etc.) that cuts the long film F. The film supply mechanism 306 may also be configured with a single film roll, or may be configured to unwind in the X direction (neither is shown). This allows for the supply of strips of film F of a predetermined length.

The dispensing unit 100C also includes a second loader 212 that moves in the X and Y directions to transport the film F and resin R to the sealing mold 202 and transports the used film Fd from inside the sealing mold 202 (in this embodiment, it is configured to be able to move into the press unit 100B). However, this is not limited to this, and a separate loader that moves in the Y direction to transport to the sealing mold 202 and a separate loader that moves in the X direction to transport between units may also be included (not shown).

As an example, the second loader 212 is equipped with a third holding section 212A that holds the film F and resin R, transports them into the sealing mold 202, and holds them within the cavity 208 of the lower mold 206 (partially including the mold surface 206a). It also has a fourth holding section 212B that holds the used film Fd, transports it from the sealing mold 202, and transports it to the disposer 316 for disposal.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a guard 400 having a through hole 400a formed therethrough in the vertical direction is provided. A pressing member 216 is provided that is in close contact with the inner periphery of the through hole 400a of the guard 400 and is movable up and down. A lid 218 is provided that covers the film F arranged to cover the entire surface of the through hole 400a of the guard 400 (i.e., to block the opening of the through hole 400a) and cooperates with the guard 400 to clamp and secure the film F. The guard 400, pressing member 216, and lid 218 may all be configured to be incorporated into the second loader 212 as a single unit, or may be configured to be incorporated separately (i.e., to be engaged and disengaged as appropriate).

As shown in FIG. 4, the guard 400 according to this embodiment has a flat plate-like shape of a predetermined thickness, with the top and bottom surfaces parallel to each other, and includes a film holding portion 400A in the center that holds the film F. The film holding portion 400A also has a through-hole 400a formed vertically through the film F at a position corresponding to the film F (the position where the film F is held), so that the film F is exposed. The through-hole 400a is formed to correspond to the position and shape of the cavity 208, and its interior provides a space for containing the resin R. A plurality of suction holes 400c are provided around the through-hole 400a, which apply suction force to hold the film F. The suction holes 400c are connected to a suction-generating mechanism (not shown). This mechanism allows the film F to be adsorbed and held in a predetermined position on the guard 400. In this embodiment, the guard 400 is configured individually to correspond to each cavity 208, but as a modification, it may be configured as an integrated unit to correspond to multiple cavities 208 (two sets in this case), as shown in Figure 5.

With the above configuration, resin R can be contained within the through-hole 400a of the guard 400. At that time, the film F can be fixed to the guard 400 while being sandwiched between the guard 400 and the lid 218. This prevents gaps from forming between the guard 400 and the film F, thereby preventing the infiltration of resin between the guard 400 and the film F, which was a problem with the conventional method.

It is preferable that the guard 400 and lid 218 have a stepped shape (see Figures 6A and 6B) or tapered shape (see Figures 7A and 7B) in which the clamping sections 220 that clamp the film F have corresponding engaging shapes. This allows the film F to be kept taut (a state in which tension is applied to prevent it from bending) simply by clamping the film F with the clamping sections 220. This further enhances the effectiveness of preventing resin from getting between the guard 400 and the film F.

The second loader 212 according to this embodiment also includes an inversion mechanism (not shown) that can invert the guard 400, pressure member 216, and lid 218 together by 180° up and down. For example, if the film F is sandwiched between the guard 400 and the lid 218 and the inside of the through-hole 400a is closed by the pressure member 216 and the film F, the through-hole 400a can be inverted by 180° up and down while the resin R remains contained within the through-hole 400a (without leaking the resin R).

On the other hand, the pressing member 216 according to this embodiment is configured to be movable up and down within the through-hole 400a of the guard 400 and has a plate surface 216a that presses the resin R toward the film F. This allows the resin R contained within the through-hole 400a of the guard 400 to be pressed toward the film F by moving the pressing member 216. This eliminates or reduces the "bulk" caused by gaps between the resin R particles. (Note: If there are areas within the through-hole 400a where the resin R is not fully distributed, this also has the effect of filling those areas with resin R.) Furthermore, by heating the resin R to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 60°C) that does not fully harden it, in a softened (molten) state, the resin R can be welded to the film F. The plate surface 216a may also be shaped to allow for molding into a resin shape that can seal even the fine details of the electronic component Wb or a resin shape that can prevent wire deformation. Here, it is preferable that the plate surface 216a be subjected to a surface treatment that prevents adhesion of the resin R. This prevents the pressed resin R from adhering to the plate surface 216a. Alternatively, a cooling mechanism (not shown) may be provided to control the temperature rise of the pressing member 216, and adhesion may be prevented by treatment to increase the surface hardness. Note that a known movement mechanism (e.g., a ball screw or cylinder mechanism) is used to move the pressing member 216 (not shown).

In addition, this embodiment is equipped with a vibration mechanism (not shown) that vibrates the guard 400 in at least one direction: front-to-back, left-to-right, or up-to-down. This makes it possible to level (uniformize) the thickness of the granular resin R contained within the through-hole 400a. This eliminates or reduces bulkiness and prevents molding defects. Note that the configuration may also be designed without the vibration mechanism.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a heating mechanism (not shown) is provided that heats the film F to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 60°C) that does not fully harden the resin R. This heating mechanism may be configured to be located (integrated) in the second loader 212, or may be configured to be located separately from the second loader 212 in the dispensing unit 100C (or in the press unit 100B). As a variant, the resin R may also be directly heated.

One example of this heating mechanism is a configuration in which a heating through-hole is formed in the lid 218, and the film F is heated by passing through the heating through-hole and coming into contact with or close to the film F (e.g., a heater block with a built-in heating wire), or a configuration in which heat is radiated or emitted through the heating through-hole to heat the film F (e.g., an infrared heater) (neither of these is shown). Alternatively, as another example, a configuration in which a heating through-hole is not formed in the lid 218, but the film F is indirectly heated by heating the lid 218 with a similar heater or the like (neither of these is shown).

With the above configuration, the resin R can be indirectly or directly heated to a predetermined temperature (a temperature that does not cause full curing). Therefore, the resin R in contact with the film F can be softened (melted) to increase its adhesive (welding) strength, allowing the resin R to be welded to the film F with a uniform thickness. The resin R can be transported into the sealing mold 202 by the second loader 212 and held at a predetermined position (in the cavity 208) in the sealing mold 202 (in this embodiment, the lower mold 206).

(Compression molding method according to the first embodiment)
Next, a compression molding method (first embodiment) for performing resin sealing (compression molding) using the compression molding apparatus 1 will be described.

In this embodiment, an example is given in which the resin R is in granular form (including cylindrical, etc.), crushed, powdered, or other granular form when supplied from the dispenser 312. Also given is an example configuration in which one lower mold 206 has two sets of cavities 208, and two workpieces W (e.g., strip-shaped workpieces) are placed in one upper mold 204 and resin-sealed together, simultaneously obtaining two molded products Wp. However, this configuration is not limited to these. Note that Figures 8 to 15 are front cross-sectional views taken in the same direction as Figures 2 and 3.

First, as a preparation process, a heating process (upper die heating process) is carried out in which the upper die 204 is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C) using an upper die heating mechanism. Also, a heating process (lower die heating process) is carried out in which the lower die 206 is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C) using a lower die heating mechanism.

Next, as shown in Figure 8, film F is placed on the underside of guard 400 so as to cover the entire surface of through-hole 400a (i.e., so as to block the lower opening of through-hole 400a), and then lid 218 is placed from below the film F to sandwich and fix the film F between the underside of guard 400 and the upper surface of lid 218, in a film fixing process. This allows the film F to be held without creating a gap between guard 400 and film F. Therefore, resin R contained in through-hole 400a can be prevented from seeping between guard 400 and film F, preventing molding defects caused by resin R seeping in.

Next, as shown in Figure 9, the guard 400 (with the film F fixed thereto) is moved to a position directly below the nozzle 312a of the dispenser 312. In this state, resin R is poured from the nozzle 312a of the dispenser 312 into the through-hole 400a of the guard 400. In this way, the on-film placement process is carried out, in which resin R is placed on the film F fixed to the guard 400 (on the surface of the film F exposed in the through-hole 400a).

In the above-mentioned film-mounting process, it is preferable to move the guard 400 (with the film F fixed) along an arbitrary pattern when dropping the resin R from the nozzle 312a. This allows the resin R to be supplied without creating too much bulk inside the through-hole 400a. It is also possible to configure the guard 400 not to move in this way.

Next, as shown in Figure 10, a leveling process is carried out in which vibrations are applied to the resin R placed on the film F to level (uniform) the layer thickness in the vertical direction. This allows the thickness of the granular resin R placed on the film F to be leveled. This eliminates or reduces bulkiness and prevents molding defects. Note that it is also possible to configure the system without this leveling process.

Next, as shown in Figure 11, a pressing member placement process is carried out in which the pressing member 216 is placed at a predetermined position within the through-hole 400a of the guard 400. At this time, the interior of the through-hole 400a is made into a space enclosed by the pressing member 216 and the film F.

Next, as shown in Figure 12, a resin pressing process is carried out in which the pressing member 216 is moved downward to press the resin R against the film F continuously or discontinuously (instantaneously). This allows the resin R to be leveled (or maintained in a leveled state) within the through-hole 400a. Note that moving to the next process in a pressed state is more effective in preventing the resin R from becoming uneven.

Next, as shown in FIG. 13, a heat welding process is performed in which the resin R is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 60°C) that does not fully harden the resin R, thereby welding the resin R to the film F. For example, the resin R may be heated directly, or the film F on which the resin R is held (placed) may be heated to heat the resin R indirectly. When heating the film F, the film F may be heated directly, or the film F may be heated indirectly by heating the lid 218 that contacts (or is close to) the film F. This softens (melts) the resin R and welds it to the film F. It is also preferable to perform a resin pressing process in which the pressing member 216 moves downward to press the resin R against the film F continuously or discontinuously (instantaneously). This allows for efficient heat supply to the resin R and thermal insulation of the pressing member 216.

Next, as shown in Figure 14, the lid 218 securing the film F is removed from the guard 400, and the film F with the resin R welded thereto is moved downward from a position above the lower mold 206 by, for example, moving the pressing member 216 downward, thereby carrying out the lower mold holding process, in which the film F is accommodated in a predetermined position within the cavity 208 of the lower mold 206 (including part of the mold surface 206a) and held by suction. This allows the amount of resin R required for one process to be supplied and held within the cavity 208 together with the film F.

In addition, during the above-mentioned lower mold holding step, it is preferable to carry out a scraping step in which the pressing member 216 is moved downward to scrape out the resin R adhering to the inner periphery of the guard 400 (i.e., the inner periphery of the through-hole 400a). This prevents some of the resin R from remaining on the inner periphery of the guard 400 and becoming a source of dust, thereby preventing molding defects caused by such dust. At this time, a resin pressing step may be carried out in which the resin R is discontinuously (instantaneously) pressed against the film F. This will raise the temperature to a higher temperature than the preheating temperature, which will cause the resin R to melt and further reduce "bulkiness."

Next, the second loader 212 (third holding section 212A) is moved to transport (carry out) the guard 400, pressing member 216, and lid 218 to the outside of the sealing mold 202.

Next, a workpiece carrying-in process is performed in which the first loader 210 (first holding unit 210A) carries (carries) the workpiece W into the sealing mold 202. It is preferable to preheat the workpiece W using the workpiece heater 116 and then hold the workpiece W carried into the sealing mold 202 by the first loader 210 in a predetermined position in the upper mold 204, as shown in FIG. 15 (however, preheating may be omitted). In this embodiment, two workpieces W are held side by side. This workpiece carrying-in process may also be performed before the previously described lower mold holding process.

The subsequent steps are the same as those in conventional compression molding methods. The sealing mold 202 is closed, and the two workpieces W are clamped between the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206. At this time, the cavity pieces 226 in each of the two sets of cavities 208 rise relatively to each other, applying heat and pressure to the resin R against the two workpieces W. This thermally hardens the resin R, completing resin sealing (compression molding). The sealing mold 202 is then opened, and the two molded products Wp and the used film Fd are separated. The first loader 210 (second holding unit 210B) then transports (removes) the two molded products Wp from the sealing mold 202. The second loader 212 (fourth holding unit 212B) then transports (removes) the two used films Fd from the sealing mold 202.

The above are the main steps of the compression molding method (first embodiment) performed using the compression molding apparatus 1. However, the above order of steps is only an example, and the order of steps can be changed or performed in parallel as long as no problems arise. For example, in this embodiment, an apparatus configuration is used that includes multiple (for example, two) press units 100B, and by performing the above operations in parallel, efficient molding of molded products is possible.

(Compression molding method according to the second embodiment)
Next, a compression molding method (second embodiment) for resin sealing (compression molding) using the compression molding apparatus 1 will be described. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the resin R supplied from the dispenser 312 is placed on a pressing member 216 disposed within the through-hole 400a of the guard 400, and a series of steps are included to accommodate this. The following description will focus on these differences. This embodiment also uses granular resin R, and uses a configuration with two sets of cavities 208 in one lower mold 206 as an example. Figures 16 to 23 are front cross-sectional views taken in the same direction as Figures 2 and 3.

First, as a preparation process, a heating process (upper die heating process) is carried out in which the upper die 204 is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C) using an upper die heating mechanism. Also, a heating process (lower die heating process) is carried out in which the lower die 206 is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C) using a lower die heating mechanism.

Next, as shown in Figure 16, a pressing member placement process is carried out in which the pressing member 216 is placed at a predetermined position within the through-hole 400a of the guard 400. At this time, the pressing member 216 is placed so that the entire outer periphery of the pressing member 216 (plate surface 216a) is surrounded by the guard 400 up to a position higher than the plate surface 216a, which is the upper surface of the pressing member 216.

Next, as shown in Figure 17, the guard 400 (with the pressing member 216 positioned within the through-hole 400a) is moved to a position directly below the nozzle 312a of the dispenser 312. In this state, resin R is poured from the nozzle 312a of the dispenser 312 into the through-hole 400a of the guard 400. In this way, the pressing member placement process is carried out, in which resin R is placed on the pressing member 216 (on the plate surface 216a) positioned within the guard 400.

In addition, during the above-mentioned pressing member placement process, when the resin R is dropped from the nozzle 312a, it is preferable to move the guard 400 (with the pressing member 216 positioned within the through-hole 400a) along an arbitrary pattern. This allows the resin R to be supplied without creating too much bulk within the through-hole 400a. It is also possible to configure the guard 400 not to move in this way.

Next, as shown in Figure 18, a leveling process is carried out in which vibrations are applied to the resin R placed on the pressing member 216 to level (uniform) the layer thickness in the vertical direction. This allows the thickness of the granular resin R placed on the pressing member 216 to be leveled. This eliminates or reduces bulkiness and prevents molding defects. It is also possible to configure the system without this leveling process.

Next, as shown in FIG. 19, film F is placed on the top surface of guard 400 so as to cover the entire surface of through-hole 400a (i.e., so as to block the upper opening of through-hole 400a), and then lid 218 is placed over film F, thereby performing a film fixing process in which film F is sandwiched and fixed between the top surface of guard 400 and the bottom surface of lid 218. This allows film F to be held without creating a gap between guard 400 and film F. This prevents resin R contained in through-hole 400a from seeping between guard 400 and film F, thereby preventing molding defects caused by resin seepage. The film fixing process may also be performed before the aforementioned leveling process.

Next, as shown in Figure 20, a resin pressing process is performed in which the pressing member 216 is moved upward to continuously or discontinuously (instantaneously) press the resin R against the film F. This allows the resin R to be leveled (or maintained in a leveled state) within the through-hole 400a.

Next, as shown in Figure 21, a pre-welding inversion process is carried out in which the guard 400 (with the resin R contained in the through-hole 400a), the pressing member 216 placed in the through-hole 400a of the guard 400, the film F fixed to the guard 400, and the lid 218 are all inverted 180 degrees up and down.

Furthermore, prior to the pre-welding reversal step (which may also be prior to the aforementioned resin pressing step), it is preferable to carry out a film pre-heating step in which the film F is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 60°C) at which the resin R will not fully harden. For example, the film F may be heated directly, or the film F may be heated indirectly by heating the lid 218 that contacts (or is close to) the film F. This softens (melts) the resin R that contacts the film F, increasing its adhesive (welding) strength. This prevents the resin R from becoming unevenly distributed within the through-hole 400a when the pre-welding reversal step is carried out. This prevents molding defects caused by uneven distribution. It is also possible to omit the film pre-heating step.

Next, as shown in FIG. 22 , a heat welding process is performed in which the resin R is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 60°C) that does not fully harden the resin R, thereby welding the resin R to the film F. For example, the resin R may be heated directly, or the film F on which the resin R is held (placed) may be heated to heat the resin R indirectly. When heating the film F, the film F may be heated directly, as in the method described above, or the film F may be heated indirectly by heating the lid 218 that contacts (or is close to) the film F. This softens (melts) the resin R and welds it to the film F. It is also preferable to perform a resin pressing process in which the pressing member 216 moves downward to press the resin R against the film F continuously or discontinuously (instantaneously). This allows for efficient heat supply to the resin R and thermal insulation of the pressing member 216.

Next, as shown in Figure 23, the lid 218 securing the film F is removed from the guard 400, and the film F with the resin R welded thereto is moved downward from a position above the lower mold 206 by, for example, moving the pressing member 216 downward, thereby carrying out the lower mold holding process, in which the film F is accommodated in a predetermined position within the cavity 208 of the lower mold 206 (including part of the mold surface 206a) and held by suction. This allows the amount of resin R required for one process to be supplied and held within the cavity 208 together with the film F.

In addition, during the above-mentioned lower mold holding step, it is preferable to carry out a scraping step in which the pressing member 216 is moved downward to scrape out the resin R adhering to the inner periphery of the guard 400 (i.e., the inner periphery of the through-hole 400a). This prevents some of the resin R from remaining on the inner periphery of the guard 400 and becoming a source of dust, thereby preventing molding defects caused by such dust. At this time, a resin pressing step may be carried out in which the resin R is discontinuously (instantaneously) pressed against the film F. This will raise the temperature to a higher temperature than the preheating temperature, which will cause the resin R to melt and further reduce "bulkiness."

The steps from this point onwards are the same as those in the first embodiment described above, so repeated explanations will be omitted.

The above are the main steps of the compression molding method (second embodiment) performed using the compression molding apparatus 1. However, the above order of steps is only an example, and the order of steps can be changed or performed in parallel as long as no problems arise. For example, in this embodiment, an apparatus configuration is used that includes multiple (for example, two) press units 100B, and by performing the above operations in parallel, efficient molding of molded products is possible.

As explained above, the present invention can prevent gaps from forming between the guard and the film, and can prevent resin from entering those gaps. Furthermore, by pressing the resin, the bulk of the resin can be eliminated or reduced, preventing resin leakage caused by that bulk. Furthermore, increasing the cavity depth when supplying resin to prevent resin leakage can also prevent film wrinkles from easily forming on the side of the molded product. Therefore, molding defects caused by resin entering between the guard and the film and molding defects caused by resin leakage can be prevented, improving molding quality.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In particular, the sealing resin has been described using a particulate thermosetting resin such as granular, pulverized, or powdered, but the present invention is not limited to this and can also be applied to configurations using resin in liquid, plate, or sheet form.

1 Compression molding device 204 Upper mold 206 Lower mold 208 Cavity 216 Pressing member 218 Lid 400 Guard F Release film R Sealing resin W Work

Claims (11)

A compression molding method for molding a workpiece into a molded product by sealing the workpiece with resin using a compression molding device including a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, a dispenser for supplying resin, a guard having a through hole in the up-down direction, and a pressing member that is in close contact with an inner periphery of the through hole of the guard and is movable up and down,
a film fixing step of placing a film on the lower surface of the guard so as to cover the entire surface of the through-hole, placing a lid on the film from below, and sandwiching and fixing the film between the lower surface of the guard and the upper surface of the lid;
a film-on-placement step of placing the resin on the film through the through-hole of the guard;
a pressing member disposing step of disposing the pressing member at a predetermined position within the through hole of the guard;
a resin pressing step of moving the pressing member downward to press the resin against the film;
a heat welding step of heating the resin at a temperature at which the resin does not fully cure, thereby welding the resin to the film;
and a lower mold holding process in which, after removing the lid that secures the film, the film with the resin welded thereto is moved downward from an upper position of the lower mold and held by suction within the cavity of the lower mold. A compression molding method for molding a workpiece into a molded product by sealing the workpiece with resin using a compression molding device including a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, a dispenser for supplying resin, a guard having a through hole in the up-down direction, and a pressing member that is in close contact with an inner periphery of the through hole of the guard and is movable up and down,
a pressing member disposing step of disposing the pressing member at a predetermined position within the through hole of the guard;
a pressing member placing step of placing the resin on the pressing member through the through hole of the guard;
a film fixing step of placing a film on the upper surface of the guard so as to cover the entire surface of the through-hole, placing a lid on top of the film, and sandwiching and fixing the film between the upper surface of the guard and the lower surface of the lid;
a resin pressing step of moving the pressing member upward to press the resin against the film;
a pre-welding inversion process of inverting the guard, the pressing member, the resin, the film, and the lid 180° up and down;
a heat welding step of heating the resin at a temperature at which the resin does not fully cure, thereby welding the resin to the film;
and a lower mold holding process in which, after removing the lid that secures the film, the film with the resin welded thereto is moved downward from an upper position of the lower mold and held by suction within the cavity of the lower mold. 3. The compression molding method according to claim 1, wherein the resin is in the form of particles, granules, pulverized particles, or powder when supplied from the dispenser. 3. The compression molding method according to claim 1, wherein the lower mold retaining step includes a scraping step of moving the pressing member downward to scrape out the resin adhering to the inner peripheral portion of the guard. 3. The compression molding method according to claim 1, further comprising a leveling step, prior to the resin pressing step, of vibrating the placed resin to level the thickness of the laminate in the vertical direction. The compression molding method according to claim 2, further comprising a film preheating step of heating the film after the film fixing step and before the pre-welding inversion step. A compression molding apparatus that uses a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold to seal a workpiece with resin and process it into a molded product,
a dispenser for supplying the resin;
a guard having a through hole formed therethrough in the vertical direction;
a pressing member that is in close contact with an inner periphery of the through hole of the guard and is movable up and down;
a lid that covers a film arranged to cover the entire surface of the through hole and cooperates with the guard to clamp and fix the film. 8. The compression molding apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the guard and the lid have clamping portions for clamping the film, each of which is formed in a stepped or tapered shape having a corresponding engaging shape. 9. The compression molding apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising an inversion mechanism that inverts the guard, the pressing member, and the lid up and down by 180 degrees. The lid has a heating through hole formed therethrough in the vertical direction,
9. The compression molding apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a heating mechanism that heats the film through the heating through-hole of the lid. 9. The compression molding apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the resin is in the form of particles, granules, pulverized material, or powder when supplied from the dispenser.