U.S. patent application number 09/496964 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-15 for cutting-and-transferring system and pellet transferring apparatus.
Invention is credited to Hidaka, Takeo, Mahashi, Takayuki, Namioka, Shinichi, Sekiya, Kazuma, Yoshii, Masahiro.
Application Number | 20010040197 09/496964 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 12368850 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010040197 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sekiya, Kazuma ; et
al. |
November 15, 2001 |
Cutting-and-transferring system and pellet transferring
apparatus
Abstract
Disclosed is an improved cutting-and-transferring system for
cutting and separating a workpiece into pellets. The workpiece is
held by a holder member. The system comprises: a holding table for
holding a workpiece to be cut; a cutting unit including at least
cutting means for cutting the workpiece on the holding table into
pellets; a transferring unit including at least transferring means
for picking up the pellets from the holder member and for
transferring to a selected carrier tray; and a shuttle transfer
unit for transferring a selected cut workpiece from the cutting
unit to the transferring unit. All these parts work automatically
in unison, thus reducing the length of time involved for cutting
workpieces into pellets and for loading carrier trays with pellets
to possible minimum.
Inventors: |
Sekiya, Kazuma; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Mahashi, Takayuki; (Tokyo, JP) ;
Namioka, Shinichi; (Tokyo, JP) ; Hidaka, Takeo;
(Tokyo, JP) ; Yoshii, Masahiro; (Tokyo,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARENT FOX KINTNER PLOTKIN & KAHN PLLC
1050 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, N.W., SUITE 600
washington
DC
20036-5339
US
|
Family ID: |
12368850 |
Appl. No.: |
09/496964 |
Filed: |
February 3, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
241/101.4 ;
241/301 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 83/6494 20150401;
H01L 21/67092 20130101; H01L 21/67144 20130101; B28D 5/0082
20130101; B28D 5/0094 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
241/101.4 ;
241/301 |
International
Class: |
B02C 019/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 10, 1999 |
JP |
11-032797 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cutting-and-transferring system for cutting and separating a
workpiece into pellets comprising: a holding table for holding a
workpiece to be cut, the workpiece being retained by a holder
member; a cutting unit including at least cutting means for cutting
the workpiece on the holding table into pellets; a transferring
unit including at least transferring means for picking up the
pellets from the holder member and for transferring to a selected
carrier tray; and a shuttle transfer unit for transferring a
selected cut workpiece from the cutting unit to the transferring
unit.
2. A cutting-and-transferring system according to claim 1, wherein
the shuttle transfer unit is built in the transferring unit.
3. A cutting-and-transferring system according to claim 2, wherein
the cutting unit comprises: a cassette storage area for storing a
cassette containing a stack of workpieces; a carrying means for
removing a selected workpiece from the cassette; a tentative
storage area in which the workpiece thus removed and transferred is
laid; a first transferring means for transferring the workpiece
from the tentative area to the holding table; an alignment means
for detecting the cutting area of the workpiece on the holding
table; a cutting means for cutting the so detected cutting area of
the workpiece; a washing means for washing the cut workpiece; a
second transferring means for transferring the cut workpiece from
the holding table to the washing means; a third transferring means
for transferring the cut workpiece from the washing means to the
tentative storage area; and a fourth transferring means for
transferring the cut workpiece from the tentative storage area to a
boarding area where the cut workpiece is picked up to be
transferred from the cutting unit to the transferring unit; and the
transferring unit comprises: a shuttle transferring means for
picking up the cut workpiece in the bordering area; a tentative
storage means in which the cut workpiece is released from the
shuttle transferring means to be tentatively laid there; a transfer
means for transferring the cut workpiece from the tentative storage
means to a pick-up table where the cut workpiece is laid to allow
the pellets to be picked-up; a pellet transferring means for
picking up pellets from the pick-up table to a selected carrier
tray; a disposal means for disposing the holder members from which
pellets have been removed by the pellet transferring means; an
empty-tray storage means for storing empty trays; a loaded-tray
storage means for storing trays loaded with pellets; and a
tray-transferring table for transferring a selected empty tray from
the empty-tray storage means to the pellet transferring means and
for transferring a pellet-loaded tray to the loaded tray storage
means.
4. A cutting-and-transferring system according to claim 3, wherein
the pellet transferring means comprises: a pellet orienting means;
a first pick-up means for picking up pellets from the pick-up table
to put the pellet thus picked up on the pellet orienting means; and
a second pick-up means for picking up and transferring the oriented
pellet from the pellet orienting means to a selected carrier
tray.
5. A cutting-and-transferring system according to claim 3, wherein
it further comprises additional transferring unit, which is placed
to adjoin the transferring unit so that a selected cut workpiece
may be transferred to the shuttle transferring means of the
subsequent transferring unit via the tentative storage means.
6. A cutting-and-transferring system according to claim 3, 4 or 5,
wherein it further comprises an ultraviolet radiator means placed
in the boarding area, thereby permitting a selected cut workpiece
to be exposed to ultraviolet rays when transferred from the
tentative storage area to the boarding area, thus lowering the
adhesive capability of the holder member of ultraviolet-sensitive
adhesive tape.
7. A pellet transferring apparatus comprising: a shuttle
transferring means for picking up a selected cut workpiece from the
cutting unit; a tentative storage means in which the cut workpiece
is released from the shuttle transferring means; a transfer means
for transferring the cut workpiece to a pick-up table where the cut
workpiece is laid to allow the pellets to be picked up; a pellet
transferring means for picking up pellets from the pick-up table to
a selected carrier tray; a disposal means for disposing the holder
members from which pellets have been removed by the pellet
transferring means; an empty-tray storage means for storing empty
trays; a loaded-tray storage means for storing trays loaded with
pellets; and a tray transferring table for transferring empty trays
from the empty-tray storage means to the pellet transferring means
and for transferring pellet-loaded trays to the loaded-tray storage
means.
8. A pellet transferring apparatus according to claim 7, wherein
the pellet transferring means comprises: a pellet orienting means;
a first pick-up means for picking up pellets one after another from
the cut workpiece on the pick-up table to put the pellet thus
picked up on the pellet orienting means; and a second pick-up means
for picking up and transferring the oriented pellet from the pellet
orienting means to a selected carrier tray.
9. A pellet transferring apparatus according to claim 7 or 8,
wherein it further comprises additional transferring apparatus,
which is placed to adjoin the leading transferring apparatus so
that a selected cut workpiece may be transferred to the shuttle
transferring means of the subsequent transferring unit via the
tentative storage means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a cutting-and-transferring
system for cutting and separating a workpiece into individual
pellets and for loading carrier trays with such pellets, and to a
pellet transferring apparatus for transferring pellets from the
cutting apparatus to carrier trays.
[0003] 2. Related Arts
[0004] Recently chip size packages (abbreviated as "CSPs") have
been widely used. A plurality of semiconductor chips each having
LSIs built therein are arranged, and resin-sealed together to form
a CSP substrate, and then the CSP substrate is cut into packaged
pellets, each being as large as the original semiconductor chip.
Advantageously the CSP device is small in size, requiring a minimum
space for installation in personal computers, cellular phones and
the like.
[0005] Referring to FIG. 11, a cutting apparatus 300 is used in
cutting CSP substrates 301. A plurality of carrier frames each
having a CSP substrate attached thereon by an adhesive tape T are
stacked on each other to be stored in a cassette 302.
[0006] The CSP substrate 301 is transferred from the cassette 302
to the tentative storage area 304, where the CSP substrate 301 is
sucked and held by the first transferring means 305. Then, the
first transferring means 305 turns to bring the CSP substrate 301
to the chuck table 306. The CSP substrate 301 is laid on the chuck
table 306 to be sucked and held thereon.
[0007] Then, the chuck table 306 is moved in the X-axial direction
to be put just under the alignment means 307. A picture of the CSP
substrate 301 is taken there to determine where a required cutting
may be effected on the CSP substrate 301, and the rotary blade 308
is aligned to a selected cutting line traversing the Y-axis on the
CSP substrate 301. Then,the chuck table 306 is moved in the X-axial
direction, allowing the rotary blade 308 to cut the CSP substrate
301. This is repeated as many times as the cutting lines running in
X-axial directions. After finishing the cutting along each and
every cutting line running in the X-axial direction, the chuck
table 306 turns 90 degrees, so that the crosswise cutting is
repeated, so that the CSP substrate is separated into square
pellets.
[0008] These pellets are still held on the frame F with the
adhesive tape T, and the so cut and separated CSP substrate is
transferred to the washing means 311 by the second transferring
means 310. The cut and separated CSP substrate is washed there to
remove debris, and then the pellets are dried by air blowing.
[0009] After the cut and separated CSP substrate is dried, the
first transferring means 305 transfer it to the tentative storage
area 304, where the taking-in and -out means pushes the separated
CSP 72 substrate in a selected slot in the cassette 302. The
sequential steps are repeated for each and every CSP substrate so
that the frames F each bearing pellets in order are stacked in the
cassette 302. Then, the cassette 302 is transported to a selected
transferring apparatus in which individual pellets are transferred
to carrier trays.
[0010] The subsequent pellet-transferring work cannot start before
all cut CSP substrates have been put in another cassette 302.
Therefore, all units in the transferring apparatus are dormant for
the while. Accordingly the yielding rate is lowered. Still
disadvantageously, a tedious work is required in removing the
cassette 302 from the cutting apparatus 300 and carrying it to the
transferring station.
[0011] Therefore, there has been an increasing demand for reducing
tedious works and for improving the efficiency with which a series
of steps may be performed, starting from the cutting of workpieces
such as CSPs and ending with the loading of carrier trays with
separate pieces such as pellets.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] To meet such a demand a cutting-and-transferring system for
cutting and separating a workpiece into pellets and for
transferring such pellets to carrier trays according to the present
invention comprises: a holding table for holding a workpiece to be
cut, the workpiece being retained by a holder member; a cutting
unit including at least cutting means for cutting the workpiece on
the holding table into pellets; a transferring unit including at
least transferring means for picking up the pellets from the holder
member and for transferring to a selected carrier tray; and a
shuttle transfer unit for transferring a selected cut workpiece
from the cutting unit to the transferring unit.
[0013] The shuttle transfer unit may be built in the transferring
unit.
[0014] The cutting unit may comprise: a cassette storage area for
storing a cassette containing a stack of workpieces; a carrying
means for removing a selected workpiece from the cassette; a
tentative storage area in which the workpiece thus removed and
transferred is laid; a first transferring means for transferring
the workpiece from the tentative area to the holding table; an
alignment means for detecting the cutting area of the workpiece on
the holding table; a cutting means for cutting the so detected
cutting area of the workpiece; a washing means for washing the cut
workpiece; a second transferring means for transferring the cut
workpiece from the holding table to the washing means; a third
transferring means for transferring the cut workpiece from the
washing means to the tentative storage area; and a fourth
transferring means for transferring the cut workpiece from the
tentative storage area to a boarding area where the cut workpiece
is picked up to be transferred from the cutting unit to the
transferring unit; and the transferring unit comprises: a shuttle
transferring means for picking up the cut workpiece in the
bordering area; a tentative storage means in which the cut
workpiece is released from the shuttle-transferring means to be
tentatively laid there; a transfer means for transferring the cut
workpiece from the tentative storage means to a pick-up table where
the cut workpiece is laid to allow the pellets to be picked-up; a
pellet transferring means for picking up pellets from the pick-up
table to a selected carrier tray; a disposal means for disposing
the holder members from which pellets have been removed by the
pellet transferring means; an empty-tray storage means for storing
empty trays; a loaded-tray storage means for storing trays loaded
with pellets; and a tray-transferring table for transferring a
selected empty tray from the empty-tray storage means to the pellet
transferring means and for transferring a pellet-loaded tray to the
loaded-tray storage means.
[0015] The pellet transferring means may comprise: a pellet
orienting means; a first pick-up means for picking up pellets from
the pick-up table to put the pellet thus picked up on the pellet
orienting means; and a second pick-up means for picking up and
transferring the oriented pellet from the pellet orienting means to
a selected carrier tray.
[0016] The cutting-and-transporting system may further comprise an
additional transferring unit, which is placed to adjoin the
transferring unit so that a selected cut workpiece may be
transferred to the shuttle transferring means of the subsequent
transferring unit via the tentative storage means.
[0017] The cutting-and-transferring system may further comprise an
ultraviolet radiator means placed in the boarding area, thereby
permitting a selected cut workpiece to be exposed to ultraviolet
rays when transferred from the tentative storage area to the
boarding area, thus lowering the adhesive capability of the holder
member of ultraviolet-sensitive adhesive tape.
[0018] With the above described arrangement the cutting of a
selected workpiece is directly followed by the transporting of the
cut workpiece to the transferring unit, thereby permitting the
loading of a selected carrier tray with pellets. The
cutting-to-transferring continuity makes it unnecessary for the
transferring unit to wait a relatively long time for arrival of a
cassette containing cut workpieces therein.
[0019] A pellet transferring apparatus according to the present
invention comprises: a shuttle transferring means for picking up a
selected cut workpiece from the cutting unit; a tentative storage
means in which the cut workpiece is released from the shuttle
transferring means; a transfer means for transferring the cut
workpiece to a pick-up table where the cut workpiece is laid to
allow the pellets to be removed and picked up; a pellet
transferring means for picking up pellets from the pick-up table to
a selected carrier tray; a disposal means for disposing the holder
members from which pellets have been removed by the pellet
transferring means; an empty-tray storage means for storing empty
trays; a loaded-tray storage means for storing trays loaded with
pellets; and a tray transferring table 76 for transferring empty
trays from the empty-tray storage means to the pellet transferring
means and for transferring pellet-loaded trays to the loaded-tray
storage means.
[0020] The pellet transferring means may comprise: a pellet
orienting means; a first pick-up means for picking up pellets one
after another from the cut workpiece on the pick-up table to put
the pellet thus picked up on the pellet orienting means; and a
second pick-up means for picking up and transferring the oriented
pellet from the pellet orienting means to a selected carrier
tray.
[0021] The pellet transferring apparatus may further comprise an
additional transferring apparatus, which is placed to adjoin the
leading transferring apparatus so that a selected cut workpiece may
be transferred to the shuttle transferring means of the subsequent
transferring unit via the tentative storage means.
[0022] An existing cutting apparatus can have the same capability
as the cutting-and-transferring system simply by combining it with
the pellet transporting apparatus as described above.
[0023] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
be understood from the following description of
cutting-and-transferring systems and transferring apparatuses
according to preferred embodiments of the present invention, which
are shown in accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cutting-and-transferring
system according to a first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0025] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a frame having a CSP
substrate attached thereto by an adhesive tape;
[0026] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a fourth transferring means
on the cutting unit of the cutting-and-transferring system;
[0027] FIG. 4 illustrates a transferring table, an empty tray
storing means and a loaded-tray storing means, all installed in the
pellet transferring apparatus of the cutting-and-transferring
system;
[0028] FIG. 5 is a plane view of a mechanism for driving the tray
table;
[0029] FIG. 6 is a plane view of a pellet orienting mean installed
in the pellet transferring apparatus of the
cutting-and-transferring system;
[0030] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a carrier tray;
[0031] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a cutting-and-transferring
system according to a second embodiment of the present
invention;
[0032] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a cutting-and-transferring
system according to a third embodiment of the present
invention;
[0033] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a fourth transferring means
installed in the cutting unit of the cutting-and-transferring
system of FIG. 9; and
[0034] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a conventional cutting
apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0035] Referring to FIG. 1, a cutting-and-transferring system 10
comprises a cutting unit 11 for cutting and separating a workpiece
into individual pieces or pellets and a transferring unit 12 for
transferring pellets from the cutting unit 11 to carrier trays.
[0036] As shown, the cutting unit 11 comprises: a cassette storage
area 13 for storing a cassette 13a containing a stack of
workpieces; a transferring means 14 for removing and transporting a
selected workpiece from the cassette; a tentative storage area 15
in which the workpiece thus removed and transported is laid; a
holding table 16; a first transferring means 17 for transferring
the workpiece from the tentative area 15 to the holding table 16;
an alignment means 18 for detecting the cutting area of the
workpiece on the holding table 16; a cutting means 19 for cutting
the so detected cutting area of the workpiece; a washing means 20
for washing the cut workpiece; a second transferring means 21 for
transferring the cut workpiece from the holding table 16 to the
washing means 20; a third transferring means 22 for transferring
the cut workpiece from the washing means 20 to the tentative
storage area 15; and a fourth transferring means 24 for
transferring the cut workpiece from the tentative storage area 15
to a boarding area 23 where the cut workpiece is picked up to be
transferred from the cutting unit 11, particularly the tentative
storage area 15 to the transferring unit 12. In this particular
embodiment the first transferring means 17 takes the part of the
third transferring means 22.
[0037] Referring to FIG. 2, a workpiece to be cut, such as a CSP
substrate 25 is attached to a frame F with an adhesive tape T, and
a plurality of frames each having a workpiece held thereon are
stacked and contained in a cassette 13a. The adhesive tape T may be
an ultraviolet sensitive tape, which is liable to lose its adhesive
capability when exposed to the ultraviolet rays. Alternatively it
may be made of a material which is sensitive to temperature, as for
instances, it may lose its adhesive capability when heated or
cooled.
[0038] The transferring means 14 takes a selected CSP substrate 25
out of the cassette 13a to transfer it to the tentative storage
area 15, in which the CSP substrate 25 is laid. The first
transferring means 17 holds the CSP substrate 25 by applying a
negative pressure thereto, and then the first transferring means 17
turns to transfer the workpiece from the tentative area 15 to the
holding table 16.
[0039] The holding table 16 is driven in the X-axial direction to
carry the CSP substrate 25 to the alignment means 18. A picture of
the CSP substrate 25 is taken there to detect the cutting area of
the CSP substrate 25 on the holding table 16 according to the
pattern matching process, as for instance, one of the cutting lines
26 is selected to cut the CSP substrate therealong (see FIG. 2).
The cutting means 19 such as a rotary blade 27 is put in alignment
with the so selected cutting line 26 of the CSP substrate by moving
the rotary blade 27 along the Y-axial direction. Then, the holding
table 16 is driven in the X-axial direction to cut the CSP
substrate with the rotary blade 27.
[0040] The cutting blade 19 is displaced the inter-cutting line
distance along the Y-axial direction every time the CSP substrate
25 has been cut along a selected cutting line, and the cutting
blade 19 starts cutting the CSP substrate 25 along the adjacent
cutting line. This is repeated to cut the CSP substrate 25 along
each and every cutting line 26 in the X-axial direction. Then, the
CSP substrate 25 turns 90 degrees, and the same procedure is
repeated as many times as the cutting lines 28 running parallel in
the Y axial direction. Thus, the CSP substrate 25 is cut and
separated into individual pellets P.
[0041] The so cut and separated CSP substrate 29 remains to be
attached to the adhesive tape T in the frame F, and it is sucked to
the sucking head 30 of the second transferring means 21 to be
carried to the washing means 20. The cut CSP substrate 29 is
lowered to be put in the washing area to remove debris and dust
from the cut CSP substrate 25, and then it is dried by air
blowing.
[0042] The third transferring means 22 transfers the cut CSP
substrate 29 from the washing means 20 to the tentative storage
area 15, and the fourth transferring means 24 transfers the cut CSP
substrate 25 from the tentative storage area 15 to a boarding area
23 where the cut CSP substrate 29 is picked up to be transferred
from the tentative storage area 15 to the transferring unit 12.
[0043] As seen from FIG. 3, the fourth transferring means 24
comprises a length of rail 31 bridging from the tentative storage
area 15 to the boarding area 23, and a carrier 32 movable along the
rail 31. It has a vertically movable suction head 33 attached to
its lower end.
[0044] There is an ultraviolet radiating means 34 in the boarding
area 23. The frame F has a cut CSP substrate 29 attached thereto
with an ultraviolet-sensitive tape T. The tape T when exposed to
the ultraviolet rays will lose its adhesive capability.
[0045] In transporting the cut CSP substrate 29 from the tentative
storage area 15 to the boarding area 23 the frame F is sucked to
the sucking head 33 of the carrier 32, and the frame F is raised,
and brought to the boarding area 23 by driving the carrier 32 along
the rail 31. Then, the frame F is lowered on the ultraviolet
radiator 34. Specifically it is put on the glass plate on the
ultraviolet radiator 34 to be laid there for the while, thus
lowering the adhesive capability of the tape T to facilitate the
picking-up of pellets from the underlying tape T.
[0046] A shuttle transferring means 40 takes a selected cut CSP
substrate 29 from the boarding area 23. In this particular
embodiment the shuttle transferring means 40 is installed in the
pellet transferring unit 12, but it may be placed as an independent
unit.
[0047] Again referring to FIG. 1, in addition to the shuttle
transferring means 40 the pellet transferring unit 12 includes a
tentative storage means 41 in which the cut CSP substrate 29 is
released from the shuttle transferring means 40 to be tentatively
laid there; a pick-up table 42 and associated transfer means 43 for
transferring the cut CSP substrate 29 from the tentative storage
means 41 to the pick-up table 42 where the cut CSP substrate 29 is
laid for removal of pellets from the tape T; a pellet transferring
means 44 for picking up pellets from the cut CSP substrate laid on
the pick-up table 42 to a selected carrier tray; a disposal means
45 for disposing the tapes T from which pellets have been removed
by the pellet transferring means 44; an empty-tray storage means 46
for storing empty trays; a loaded-tray storage means 47 for storing
trays loaded with pellets; and a tray transferring table 76 for
transferring empty trays from the empty-tray storage means 46 to
the pellet transferring means 44 and for transferring pellet-loaded
trays to the loaded-tray storage means 47.
[0048] As seen from FIG. 1, the shuttle transferring means 40 has a
carrier 49 movable along its rail in the X-axial direction. The
movable carrier 49 has its longitudinal arm 50 extending in the
X-axial direction, and the longitudinal arm 50 has a suction head
51 vertically movable in the .+-.Z-axial directions, thus
permitting it to suck and hold a selected cut CSP substrate 29.
When the carrier 49 is put at the extremity of the rail 48 in the
X-axial direction with its longitudinal arm holding the cut CSP
substrate 29, the cut CSP substrate 29 is just above the
ultraviolet radiator 34.
[0049] In transporting a selected CSP substrate 29 from the
boarding area 23 to the transferring unit 12, the carrier of the
shuttle transferring means 40 is moved to the boarding area 23 to
descend its suction head 51, sucking and raising the CSP substrate
29. The carrier is driven in the +X-axial direction to carry the
CSP substrate 29 to the tentative storage area 41. Then, the
suction head 51 is lowered until the CSP substrate 29 is put on the
tentative storage area 41, and it is released from the suction head
51 by removing the negative pressure from the suction head 51. The
CSP substrate 29 is laid with its adhesive tape T down.
[0050] The tentative storage means 41 is composed of a plate larger
than the frame F, and is movable along the rail running in the
X-axial direction. It has means for orienting a workpiece, and the
cut CSP substrate 29 when laid on the tentative storage means 41 is
oriented relative to the pick-up table 42, to which the cut CSP
substrate 29 is transported. In case that two or more transferring
apparatuses 12 are cascade-connected, the tentative storage means
41 is driven in the +X-axial direction to bring the cut CSP
substrate 29 to the vicinity of the subsequent transferring
apparatus.
[0051] The pick-up and transfer means 43 is movable in the guide
slot 53 extending in the Y-axial direction. The pick-up and
transfer means 43 has first and second pinch elements 54a and 54b
attached to its end. The pick-up and transfer means 43 catches the
frame F on the tentative storage means 41 by pinching the frame F
by the surrounding edge to move in the +Y-axial direction, carrying
the frame F to the pick-up table 42. When the frame F is put on the
pick-up table 42, the tape T is pushed up to put the pellets P in
easily separable condition. Also, the upper surface of the pick-up
table 42 is irregular enough to reduce the contact area relative to
the pellets P, thereby facilitating the picking-up of pellets from
the frame F.
[0052] The pellet transferring means 44 comprises a length of rail
55 running above the pick-up table 42 in the X-axial direction, a
first pick-up means 56, a second pick-up means 57 and a pellet
orienting means 58 just under the intermediate portion of the rail
55. The first pick-up means 56 has a suction head 59 attached to
its lower end, and likewise, the second pick-up means 57 has a
suction head 60 attached to its lower end. The suction heads 59 and
60 vertically movable.
[0053] The first pick-up means 56 lowers its suction head 59 down
to the pick-up table 42 to suck a selected pellet, and the first
pick-up means 56 is driven in the +X-axial direction to the pellet
orienting means 58, where it releases the pellet by removing the
negative pressure from the pellet. Thus, the pellet is laid on the
pellet orienting means 58.
[0054] Referring to FIG. 6, the pellet orienting means 58 has four
orienting pieces 61 movably arranged crosswise thereon, and the
pellet P can be put in correct position by allowing these orienting
pieces 61 to be driven toward the pellet P simultaneously. Then,
the so oriented pellet P is caught by the suction head 60 of the
second pick-up means 57 by applying a negative pressure to the
pellet P. The second pick-up means 57 carries the pellet P in the
+X axial direction to the pellet storage area 62, where a carrier
tray is laid to be loaded with pellets.
[0055] After removing all pellets from the cut CSP substrate 29 the
remaining frame F and tape T is taken by the pick-up transferring
means 43, of which the second pinch element 54b catches the frame F
by the rear edge, and the frame F and tape T are carried to be put
in the disposal means 45 such as a cassette. The tape T is thrown
away, but the frame F can be reused.
[0056] Referring to FIG. 7, the carrier tray 63 is rectangular in
shape, and it has two notches 63a made on each longitudinal side.
When the carrier tray 63 is transported to the empty tray storage
means 46 or the loaded-tray storage means 47, it is carried by
allowing the carrier means to catch the carrier tray 63 by the
notches 63a.
[0057] The carrier tray 63 has cells formed in the lattice pattern,
and each cell is so sized as to accommodate an individual pellet,
and it has a circular hole made in its bottom, thereby permitting
the pellet to be pushed up and removed from the cell by inserting a
pin-like tool in the circular hole.
[0058] A plurality of carrier trays 63 are stacked in the empty
tray storage means 46 in front of the pellet loading area 62. The
empty tray storage means 46 has four L-shaped poles 64 standing
upright at its corners (see FIG. 4). Referring to FIG. 4, the
lowermost tray is caught by the notches 63a by four horizontally
movable projections 65 so that it may be prevented from falling,
and the lowermost empty carrier tray can be selectively removed one
after another from the stack of trays to be transported to the
pellet loading area 62 where the carrier tray 63 is loaded with
pellets.
[0059] After loading the carrier tray 63 with pellets there it is
transported to the loaded-tray storage means 47. As is the case
with the empty tray storage means 46, the loaded-tray storage means
47 has four L-shaped poles 67 standing upright at its corners (see
FIG. 1), and the lowermost tray 201 is caught by the notches 63a by
the tapered projections 69 of the four rotary pieces 68 so that it
may be prevented from falling (see FIG. 4). These rotary pieces 68
rotate about their pivots 67.
[0060] The transporting of carrier trays from the empty tray
storage means 46 to the loaded-tray storage means 47 via the pellet
loading area 62 is effected inside the transferring apparatus 12,
as described below.
[0061] Referring to FIG. 5, the transferring mechanism comprises a
first screw rod 70 extending in the Y-axial direction and a
stepping motor 71 having its shaft integrally connected to one end
of the first screw rod 70, a base 72 threadedly engaged with the
first screw rod 70 to be driven by the rotating screw rod 70 in the
Y-axial direction while being guided by the opposite guide walls
73, a second screw rod 74 longitudinally traversing the base 72,
and a second stepping motor 75 having its shaft connected to one
end of the second screw rod 74.
[0062] Referring to FIG. 4 again, the second screw rod 74 has a
support block 77 threadedly engaged therewith for raising and
lowering a carrier table 76, and rotation of the second screw rod
74 will cause the support block 77 to move in the X-axial direction
while being guided by a pair of guide walls 78. Thus, the carrier
table 76 can be driven both in the X-axial and Y-axial directions
within the transferring apparatus 12 when the first and second
screw rods 70 and 74 are driven by the first and second stepping
motors 71 and 75 respectively.
[0063] As seen from FIG. 5, the carrier table 76 is crosswise in
shape, and it has walls 79 and 80 integrally connected to two
adjacent projecting ends and detent projections 81 and 82
integrally connected to the other adjacent projecting ends. The
walls 79 and 80 permit a carrier tray to be fixedly held on the
carrier table 76 whereas the detent projections 81 and 82
effectively prevent the carrier table from moving beyond
predetermined ranges in the X- and Y-axial directions.
[0064] As seen from FIG. 4, a plurality of empty carrier trays 101,
102, 103--are laid on each other in the empty-tray storage means
46. In transporting empty carrier trays from the empty-tray storage
means 46 to the pellet loading area 62, first, the carrier table 76
is moved to be put under the empty-tray storage means 46 while the
detent projections 81 and 82 are moved as far from the walls 79 and
80 as possible. Then, the carrier table 76 is raised to the level
at which the top surface of the carrier table 76 is close to the
bottom of the lowest carrier tray, still leaving a gap equal to the
thickness of the carrier tray. In this position all empty carrier
trays are allowed to fall simultaneously by withdrawing the movable
projections 65.
[0065] All empty carrier trays fall a distance equal to the
thickness of one carrier tray, allowing the lowermost carrier tray
to lie on the carrier table 76. Then, the movable projections 65
are made to advance into the notches 63a (see FIG. 7) of the last
but one carrier tray 102, thereby supporting the same.
[0066] After the empty carrier tray 101 is laid on the carrier
table 76 the detent projections 81 and 82 are moved toward the
walls 79 and 80 to pinch the empty carrier tray 101 between the
detent projections 81, 82 and the walls 79, 80, thus fixing the
empty carrier tray 101 on the carrier table 76.
[0067] Then, the base 72 is moved in the Y-axial direction to be
put under the pellet loading area 62, and then the base 72 is
raised to appear in the pellet loading area 62.
[0068] In the pellet loading area 62, every time the carrier tray
101 has been loaded with a pellet, the carrier tray 101 is moved
step by step in the X-axial or Y-axial direction with the aid of
the first or second stepping motor 71 or 75. When the carrier tray
101 is fully loaded with pellets, the thus pellet-loaded tray 201
is sunk in the transferring apparatus by lowering the carrier table
76, and then, the pellet-loaded tray 201 is moved in the X-axial
direction to be put in the passing area 83. It is brought under the
pellet-loaded tray storage means 47 when the base 72 is driven in
the +Y-axial direction.
[0069] The rising of the carrier table 76 makes the pellet-loaded
tray 201 to approach the loaded tray storage means 47, so that the
tapered projections of the opposite rotary pieces 68 are pushed
upward, thus making the opposite rotary pieces 68 to yieldingly
turn and diverge outward, thereby allowing the pellet-loaded tray
201 to enter the loaded-tray storage means 47. When the
pellet-loaded tray 201 passes by the tapered projections 69 of the
opposite rotary pieces 76, they are allowed to turn inward to
permit their tapered projections 69 to invade the notches 63a of
the pellet-loaded tray 201, catching the pellet-loaded tray 201 by
the notches 63a.
[0070] In this way pellet-loaded trays 201 are stored one after
another in the loaded-tray storage means 47. As may be understood
from the above, a series of works can be automatically effected,
beginning with the cutting of wafers and ending with the
boarding-and-transferring of pellets, thus substantially reducing
the length of time involved, compared with the transferring of
pellet-loaded cassettes from the cutting apparatus to the
transferring apparatus as in the conventional system.
[0071] Assume that 25 CSP substrates are contained in a single
cassette, that it takes 10 minutes to dice a single CSP substrate
into pellets, and that it takes 10 minutes to load a carrier tray
with as many pellets as cut and separated from a single CSP
substrate. Then, the length of time involved for cutting all CSP
substrates that are contained in a single cassette can be estimated
to be 250 minutes (=25.times.10 minutes), and the length of time
involved for putting all pellets in carrier trays can be estimated
to be 250 minutes (=25.times.10 minutes). Thus, the total length of
time is 500 minutes (=250 minutes+250 minutes). Assume that the
cutting-and-transferring system of FIG. 1 is used in cutting 25 CSP
substrates into pellets, and in putting all pellets in carrier
trays. First, the cutting unit of the system of FIG. 1 can start
cutting a selected CSP substrate, but the transferring unit cannot
start before the cutting of the first CSP substrate has been
finished. Specifically the transferring section must wait 10
minutes while the first CSP substrate is being cut, and then the
transferring section can work in parallel with the cutting section.
More specifically, the cutting of the (n+1)th CSP substrate is
being effected in parallel with the loading of the "n"th CSP
substrate. Therefore, the cutting and loading work can be finished
in 260 minutes (=10 minutes+250 minutes), approximately one half of
the length of time involved for cutting and loading in the
conventional cassette-by-cassette handling system.
[0072] Referring to FIG. 8, a cutting-and-transferring system
according to a second embodiment of the present invention is of a
two-cascaded structure, comprising a series combination of first
and second pellet transferring apparatuses 12a and 12b, which can
work in parallel, thus shortening the length of time involved. In
FIG. 8 same parts as in FIG. 1 are indicated by same reference
numerals as in FIG. 1.
[0073] In operation cut CSP substrates 29b are transported
alternately to the first or second transferring apparatus 12a or
12b. Specifically cut CSP substrates 29b are transported to the
first transferring apparatus 12a in the same way as in FIG. 1
whereas cut CSP substrates 29b are transported to the second
transferring apparatus 12b via the first transferring apparatus
12a. In transporting cut CSP substrates 29b to the second
transferring apparatus 12b a cut CSP substrate selected among those
laid in the boarding area 24 of the cutting apparatus 11 is sucked
to the suction head 51 of the shuttle transferring means 40 of the
first transferring apparatus 12a, and then, the longitudinal arm 50
is moved in the +X-axial direction to put the selected cut CSP
substrate 29b on the tentative storage means 41. The tentative
storage means 41 is driven along the rail 52 in the +X-axial
direction to the relay area 85, where the cut CSP substrate 29b is
released.
[0074] Next, the cut CSP substrate 29b is transported to the second
transferring apparatus 12b by the shuttle transferring means 40,
where the pellets are put in carrier trays as is the case with the
system of FIG. 1.
[0075] Two transferring apparatuses 12a and 12b are
series-connected and so controlled that the pellet-loading works
may be effected simultaneously in parallel. Thus, the length of
time involved for cutting CSP substrates and loading carrier trays
with pellets can be shortened greatly.
[0076] Assume that 25 CSP substrates are contained in a single
cassette, that it takes 10 minutes to dice a single CSP substrate
into pellets, and that it takes 20 minutes to load a carrier tray
with as many pellets as cut from a single CSP substrate. As for the
conventional cassette-by-cassette handling system the length of
time involved for cutting all CSP substrates that are contained in
a single cassette can be estimated to be 250 minutes (=25.times.10
minutes), and the length of time involved for putting all pellets
in carrier trays can be estimated to be 500 minutes (=25.times.20
minutes). Thus, the total length of time is 750 minutes (=250
minutes+500 minutes). Assuming that the cascaded type of
cutting-and-transferring system of FIG. 8 is used in cutting 25 CSP
substrates into pellets and in putting all pellets in carrier
trays, the cutting and loading work can be finished in 270 minutes,
approximately one third of the length of time involved for cutting
and loading in the conventional cassette-by-cassette handling
system.
[0077] Three or more transferring apparatuses can be
series-connected depending on the cutting speed attainable. If any
one of the transferring apparatuses should happen to be defective,
the remaining apparatuses will be allowed to continue their works
by excluding the defective one. Therefore, the transferring work
need not be discontinued.
[0078] FIG. 9 shows another cascaded type of cutting and
transferring system according to the third embodiment of the
present invention, which is appropriate for handling CSP substrates
each held by a retainer 90 as large as the CSP substrate rather
than the frame F. Examples of such a retainer are a piece of
adhesive tape and a resilient sheet-like piece having pores made on
its surface. The CSP substrate can be held on the resilient
sheet-like piece by pushing the substrate against the pored surface
of the resilient piece to be sucked thereon. The resilient piece
can be reused.
[0079] The system 91 of FIG. 9 is different from the system 10 of
FIG. 1 only in that: in the cutting apparatus 91 the suction heads
92a, 93a, 94a and 95a of the first, second, third and fourth
transferring means 92, 93, 94 and 95 are so configured as to suck
the whole surface of the CSP substrate; and likewise, in the
transferring apparatuses 96a and 96b the suction heads 97a and 98a
of the shuttle transferring means 97 are so configured as to suck
the whole surface of the CSP substrate (see FIG. 10). Everything
else is similar to the corresponding one in FIG. 1, as indicated by
same reference numerals as in FIG. 1.
[0080] Resilient, sheet-like retainers are collected for reuse at
the disposal means 45. If disposable pieces of adhesive tape are
used to hold CSP substrates, they can be collected at the disposal
means 45 to be thrown away.
[0081] As may be understood from the above, immediately after
completing the cutting of a selected CSP substrate the cut CSP can
be shifted to the transferring apparatus, thus permitting the
loading of carrier trays with pellets without delay. Thus, the
length of time involved for cutting CSP substrates into pellets and
loading carrier trays with pellets can be greatly reduced, compared
with the cassette-by-cassette handling system in which: all CSP
substrates taken out of a selected cassette are cut; and the so cut
substrates are put in the cassette to be transferred to the
transferring apparatus where the pellets are transferred from the
cassette to carrier trays.
[0082] Advantageously a transferring apparatus according to the
present invention can be series-connected to the existing cutting
apparatus, thereby improving greatly the efficiency with which the
cutting and loading work can be done.
* * * * *