Apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device, method of manufacturing an electronic device, and program for manufacturing an electronic device

• US 20030224555A1
• Filed: 03/21/2003
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Shiozawa, Masakuni
• Granted Patent: US 7,017,636 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/108
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 1/008 Soldering within a furnace B23K1/012 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/40 Semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1545 Continuous processing, i.e. involving rolls moving a band-like or solid carrier along a continuous production path
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0097 Processing two or more printed circuits simultaneously, e.g. made from a common substrate, or temporarily stacked circuit boards H05K3/0052 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3494 Heating methods for reflowing of solder using integral heating means H05K1/0212
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/907 Continuous processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1084 of continuous or running length bonded web
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1085 One web only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1097 Lamina is running length web
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1343 Cutting indefinite length web after assembly with discrete article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1751 At least three articles

Abstract

A mounting zone and a reflow zone are arranged in parallel between a loader and an unloader, and mounting and reflow processes are performed simultaneously.

Claims

1. An apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device comprising:

transport means for transporting a continuous body, said continuous body including a plurality of circuit blocks, each circuit block having an electronic component mounting area;

mounting means for mounting electronic components to said electronic component mounting areas of said continuous body; and

reflow means for performing a reflow treatment on said continuous body where said electronic components are mounted downstream of a position of said mounting means.

2. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising conductive material applying means for applying a conductive material to a predetermined area of said continuous body upstream of a position of said mounting means.

3. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 2, wherein said conductive material applying means applies a conductive material to a plurality of circuit blocks simultaneously.

4. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of mounting means are provided for dividing and mounting said predetermined area of said continuous body applied with said conductive material by said conductive material applying means.

5. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

unwinding means for unwinding a continuous body transported by said transport means; and

take-up means for taking up the continuous body transported by said transport means.

6. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 5, further comprising cutting means provided upstream of said take-up means for cutting the continuous body taken up by said take-up means at each circuit block.

7. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 5, wherein said conductive material applying means, said mounting means, and said reflow means are arranged in parallel between said unwinding means and said take-up means along a transport direction of said continuous body.

8. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising buffer means for loosening said continuous body transported to said reflow means during processing, said buffer means being provided upstream of said reflow means.

9. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 5, further comprising:

sealing resin applying means for applying sealing resin to a predetermined area of said continuous body, said sealing resin applying means being provided upstream of said take up means; and

curing means for curing said sealing resin downstream of a position of said sealing resin applying means.

10. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said reflow means comprises heat generating means for raising a temperature of an area of said continuous body to be heated by controlling a distance between said heat generating means and said area to be heated.

11. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 10, wherein said heat generating means raises the temperature of said area to be heated by at least one of approaching and contacting at least a part of said area to be heated of said continuous body.

12. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 11, wherein said heat generating means contacts a top or bottom side of said continuous body.

13. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 10, wherein said heat generating means incrementally controls the temperature of said area to be heated by controlling at least one of a speed and a position of relative movement between the heat generating means and the continuous body.

14. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 10, wherein said heat generating means is moveable in at least one of a horizontal and vertical direction relative to said continuous body.

15. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 10, wherein said heat generating means repeated contacts an pre-selected area of said continuous body to heated said pre-selected area a plurality of times.

16. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 10, wherein said heat generating means has a larger contact area than the conductive material applied area to raise the temperature of a plurality of circuit blocks simultaneously.

17. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 10, wherein said heat generating means includes a plurality of contact areas having different predetermined temperatures, and is adapted to incrementally raises the temperature of said area to be heated by sequentially causing said contact areas to make contact with said area to be heated.

18. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 17, wherein said plurality of contact areas having different predetermined temperatures are arranged in parallel along the transport direction of said continuous body.

19. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 17, wherein a gap is provided between said contact areas having different predetermined temperatures.

20. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of contact areas having different predetermined temperatures can be moved individually.

21. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 10, wherein said heat generating means has a plurality of contact areas having different lengths corresponding to a plurality of product pitches on said continuous body and said contact areas are selected in correspondence with said product pitches.

22. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 10, further comprising shutter means which is removeably positionable between said area to be heated of said continuous body and said heat generating means.

23. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 10, further comprising timer means for tracking the heating time of said area to be heated with said heat generating means, and retracting means for retracting said heat generating means from said area to be heated when said heating time exceeds a predetermined period of time.

24. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a supporting stand supporting said heat generating means; and

slide means for sliding said supporting stand along the transport direction of said continuous body.

25. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 10 further comprising auxiliary heating means for heating said area to be heated of said continuous body from a direction different from a heating direction of said heat generating means.

26. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 10, further comprising temperature lowering means for lowering the temperature of said area to be heated after the temperature of said area to be heated is raised by said heat generating means.

27. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 26, wherein said temperature lowering means includes a flat plate member having a plurality of coolant blowout holes at a side facing said area to be heated.

28. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 26, wherein said temperature lowering means includes a covering and sandwiching opening having a U-shaped cross-section for covering and sandwiching said area to be heated in a vertical direction, and a plurality of coolant blowout holes formed inside said covering and sandwiching opening.

29. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 26, wherein said temperature lowering means includes a lower temperature area than said heat generating means, and lowers the temperature of said area to be heated by causing said lower temperature area to contact at least one part of said area to be heated of said continuous body.

30. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 29, wherein said lower temperature area has a larger contact area than the conductive material applied area, and said temperature lowering means lowers the temperature of a plurality of circuit blocks simultaneously.

31. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 29, wherein said lower temperature areas are arranged in parallel at a position selected from the group including:

upstream of said heat generating means;

downstream of said heat generating means; and

between a pair of said heat generating means.

32. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 29, wherein said lower temperature area includes a plurality of contact areas having different lengths corresponding to a plurality of product pitches on the continuous body, and said temperature lowering means selects said contact areas in correspondence with the product pitches.

33. A method for manufacturing an electronic device comprising:

performing an electronic component mounting treatment and a reflow treatment in parallel on a continuous body extending between unwinding and take-up sides, said continuous body including a plurality of circuit blocks, each circuit block having an electronic component mounting area.

34. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 33, further comprising performing, in parallel, at least one of a conductive material applying treatment, a resin sealing treatment, and a circuit block cutting treatment on said continuous body extending between said unwinding side and said take-up side.

37. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 33, wherein said reflow treatment raises the temperature of said area to be heated by making said heat generating means do at least one of approach and contact at least one part of said area to be heated of said continuous body.

38. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 37, further comprising contacting a plurality of circuit blocks to said heat generating means simultaneously.

39. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 37, further comprising repeatedly contacting a per-selected circuit block to said heat generating means.

40. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 37, wherein said reflow treatment includes:

transporting a first area to be heated of said continuous body to said heat generating means;

raising a temperature of said first area to be heated by contacting said first area to be heated with said heat generating means;

transporting a second area to be heated of said continuous body to said heat generating means; and

raising a temperature of said second area to be heated by contacting said second area to be heated with said heat generating means.

41. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 37, wherein said reflow treatment includes transporting said area to be heated of said continuous body to said heat generating means;

and

incrementally raising the temperature of said area to be heated by making said heat generating means approach said area to be heated.

42. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 37, further comprising retracting said heat generating means from said area to be heated during or after heating said area to be heated with said heat generating means.

43. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 42, further comprising inserting a heat shielding plate between said retracted heat generating means and said area to be heated.

44. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 42, further comprising re-contacting said heat generating means, which was retracted from said area to be heated, with said area to be heated.

45. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 44, further comprising the step of blowing hot air toward said area to be heated before re-contacting said heat generating means, which was retracted from said area to be heated, with said area to be heated.

46. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 37, wherein said reflow treatment further comprises:

respectively transporting said first area to be heated of said continuous body to first heat generating means and said second area to be heated of said continuous body to second heat generating means, the temperature of said second heat generating means being higher than a temperature of said first heat generating means; and

raising a temperature of said first area to be heated by contacting said first area to be heated with said first heat generating means, and raising a temperature of said second area to be heated higher than said first area to be heated by contacting said second area to be heated with said second heat generating means.

47. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 46, wherein said first and second heat generating means are arranged in parallel along the transport direction of said continuous body such that said first heat generating means is upstream of said second heat generating means.

48. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 46, further comprising retracting said second heat generating means from said second area to be heated, with said first heat generating means in contact with said first area to be heated, during or after said first and second areas to be heated are heated by said first and second heat generating means.

49. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 48, further comprising re-contacting said second heat generating means, which was retracted from said second area to be heated, with said second area to be heated.

50. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 49, further comprising blowing hot air toward said second area to be heated before re-contacting said second heat generating means, which was retracted from said second area to be heated, with said second area to be heated.

51. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 37, further comprising adjusting a length of said heat generating means such that the length of said heat generating means corresponds to a product pitch on said continuous body.

52. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 51, further comprising sliding a supporting stand supporting said heat generating means along the transport direction of said continuous body such that a position of said heat generating means corresponds to the product pitch.

53. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 37, comprising lowering the temperature of said area to be heated, after the temperature of said area to be heated is raised by said heat generating means.

54. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 53, further comprising lowering a temperature of said area to be heated by contacting a lower temperature area than said heat generating means with at least a part of said area to be heated.

55. The method for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 54, wherein said lower temperature area is arranged at a position selected from the group including:

upstream of said heat generating means;

downstream of said heat generating means; and

between a pair of said heat generating means.

56. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 53, further comprising lowering the temperature of said area to be heated by blowing gas against at least one side of said area to be heated after the temperature of said area to be heated is raised by said heat generating means.

35. A method manufacturing an electronic device comprising:

moving an electronic component unmounted area of a continuous body to a mounting zone and moving an electronic component mounting-finished area of said continuous body to a reflow zone by transporting said continuous body, said continuous body including a plurality of circuit blocks, each circuit block having an electronic component mounting area;

mounting an electronic component to said unmounted area of said continuous body in said mounting zone; and

performing a reflow treatment on said electronic component mounting-finished area of said continuous body in said reflow zone.

36. A method for manufacturing an electronic device comprising:

moving a conductive material unapplied area of a continuous body to a conductive material applying zone, moving a conductive material applying-finished area of said continuous body to a mounting zone, and moving an electronic component mounting-finished area of said continuous body to a reflow zone by transporting said continuous body, said continuous body including a plurality of circuit blocks, each circuit block having an electronic component mounting area;

applying a conductive material to said conductive material unapplied area of said continuous body in said conductive material applying zone;

mounting an electronic component to said conductive material applying-finished area of said continuous body in said mounting zone; and

performing a reflow treatment on said electronic component mounting-finished area of said continuous body in said reflow zone.

57. A program for manufacturing an electronic device, wherein said program makes a computer execute the steps of:

intermittently transporting a continuous body including a plurality of circuit blocks, each circuit block having an electronic component area; and

performing an electronic component mounting treatment and a reflow treatment simultaneously on said continuous body.

58. The program for manufacturing an electronic device according to claim 57, wherein said program makes a computer execute the step of performing at least one of a conductive material applying process, a resin sealing treatment, and a circuit block cutting treatment simultaneously with said component mounting treatment and said reflow treatment on said continuous body.