JP6333141B2 - Cutting blade replacement system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cutting blade replacement system for replacing a cutting blade of a cutting apparatus for cutting a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer.

  A cutting device such as a dicing device generally includes a chuck table for holding a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer and a cutting unit on which a cutting blade for cutting is mounted. The workpiece is cut by moving both relative to each other while cutting into the workpiece.

  This cutting unit has a configuration in which a cutting blade is attached to a spindle by clamping a cutting blade to one end of a spindle capable of high-speed rotation with a flange or the like and further fastening a fixing nut.

  By the way, such a cutting blade needs to be replaced as appropriate according to wear or breakage, or according to the type of workpiece or the content of the cutting process. For example, it is proposed in Japanese Patent No. 5014892. Japanese Patent No. 2617876 discloses an automatic blade changer that automatically performs cutting blade replacement.

Japanese Patent No. 5014892 Japanese Patent No. 2617876

  However, these blade replacement jigs and auto blade changers are for replacing a cutting blade called a so-called hub blade in which a cutting blade is formed on the outer peripheral portion of one side surface of a disk-shaped base having a circular hub. Because it is a mechanism that holds the base of the blade, these blade replacement jigs and auto blade changers are used for washer-type cutting blades that are formed only with an annular grindstone without a base. Can not do it.

  Therefore, for the washer-type cutting blade, it is necessary for the operator to replace the cutting blade manually every time it is time to replace the cutting blade. The risk of accidentally damaging the cutting blade or cutting a finger with the cutting blade. There was also a cause of lower work efficiency.

  The present invention has been made in view of these points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cutting blade replacement system capable of easily replacing a washer-type cutting blade.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a cutting blade replacement system that replaces a cutting blade that is detachably attached to a blade mount fixed to a spindle of a cutting device, the first surface being in contact with a side surface of the cutting blade, and the first surface. A fixing flange having a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a through-hole penetrating from the second surface to the first surface, so as to contact the first surface of the fixing flange A cutting blade supported by the suction blade, a suction surface for sucking and holding the cutting blade and the fixed flange, a suction path having one end connected to the suction surface and the other end selectively connected to the suction means, A blade exchanging jig and an electromagnetic valve that opens and closes the suction path, and when exchanging the cutting blade, the second surface of the fixed flange on the suction surface of the blade exchanging jig And hold the fixed flange , The cutting blade exchange system, characterized in that holding by adsorbing the cutting blade via a through hole is provided.

  Preferably, the suction surface of the blade replacement jig includes a first O-ring having an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the second surface of the fixing flange, and the first O-ring. A region in which a second O-ring having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter is concentrically arranged at a predetermined distance and is surrounded by the first O-ring and the second O-ring. Is provided with a suction port communicating with the suction path, and when the second surface of the fixed flange is sucked by the suction surface of the blade replacement jig, The first O-ring and the second O-ring are positioned such that the through hole of the fixing flange is positioned between the second O-ring and the second O-ring.

  Preferably, a blade rack having a plurality of blade holding portions that hold the fixed flange and the cutting blade in a state where the cutting blade is in contact with the first surface of the fixed flange and the fixed flange is located outside. The cutting blade further comprises an annular cutting blade having a first opening, and the fixing flange has a second opening in the center smaller than the first opening, and the first of the fixing flange A convex portion that is inserted into the first opening of the cutting blade and supports the cutting blade concentrically with the fixed flange is formed on the surface of the cutting blade, and the blade holding portion supports a side surface of the cutting blade. And an insertion portion that is disposed perpendicularly to the support plate and into which the annular cutting blade and the fixing flange are inserted. The support plate has an elastic portion at a portion that contacts the cutting blade. The insertion portion is provided with a stopper that restricts passage of the fixed flange and allows passage of the fixed flange when a force greater than a preset value is applied, and the elastic member and The side surface of the cutting blade and the first surface of the fixing flange are held in contact with the stopper.

  According to the cutting blade replacement system of the present invention, when the cutting blade is replaced, the second surface of the fixed flange is sucked by the suction surface of the blade replacement jig to hold the fixed flange and cut through the through hole. Since the blade can be sucked and held, the cutting blade and fixed flange can be easily attached to and detached from the blade mount fixed to the tip of the spindle while the cutting blade is sucked together with the fixed flange with the blade replacement jig. Can do.

It is a perspective view of the cutting device provided with the blade rack used for the cutting blade exchange system of the present invention. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows a mode that a washer type cutting blade is mounted | worn with the front-end | tip of a spindle. 3A is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which the washer-type cutting blade and the fixed flange are supported by the blade rack, and FIG. 3B is a perspective view in a state in which the washer-shaped cutting blade and the fixed flange are supported by the blade rack. is there. It is sectional drawing of the state which supported the washer type cutting blade and the fixed flange with the blade rack. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the blade replacement jig, and FIG. 5B is a left side view of the blade replacement jig shown in FIG. 5A. It is sectional drawing which shows a mode that the washer type cutting blade and fixed flange which were supported by the blade rack with the blade replacement jig are adsorbed-held. It is sectional drawing which shows a mode that the washer-type cutting blade and fixing flange which were mounted | worn with the spindle with the blade exchange jig are adsorbed-held. It is a perspective view which shows a mode that the washer-type cutting blade and fixed flange which were mounted | worn with the spindle with the braid | blade replacement jig are adsorbed-held. It is a perspective view which shows a mode that a used cutting blade is returned to a blade rack by a blade replacement jig, and an unused cutting blade is adsorbed and held by a blade replacement jig together with a fixed flange. It is a perspective view which shows a mode that an unused cutting blade is mounted | worn to a blade mount with a fixed flange with a blade exchange jig.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of a cutting apparatus 2 having a blade rack used in the cutting blade replacement system of the present invention. Reference numeral 4 denotes a base of the cutting apparatus 2, and a chuck table 6 is disposed on the base 4 so as to be rotatable and reciprocally movable in the X-axis direction by a processing feed mechanism (not shown).

  A water cover 8 is disposed around the chuck table 6, and a bellows 10 is connected across the water cover 8 and the base 4 to protect the shaft portion of the processing feed mechanism.

  A gate-shaped column 12 is erected on the rear side of the base 4. A pair of guide rails 14 extending in the Y-axis direction are fixed to the column 12. A Y-axis moving block 16 is mounted on the column 12 so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction by being guided by a guide rail 14 by a Y-axis moving mechanism (index feed mechanism) 20 including a ball screw 18 and a pulse motor (not shown). Yes.

  A pair of guide rails 22 extending in the Z-axis direction are fixed to the Y-axis moving block 16. A Z-axis moving block 24 is mounted on the Y-axis moving block 16 so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction by being guided by the guide rail 22 by a Z-axis moving mechanism 30 including a ball screw 26 and a pulse motor 28. .

  A cutting unit 32 is attached to the Z-axis moving block 24, and an imaging unit 36 is attached to the spindle housing 34 of the cutting unit 32.

  A blade rack 38 used in the cutting blade replacement system of the present invention is disposed on the side of the front end side of the base 4. As best shown in FIG. 3, the blade rack 38 includes a support plate 40 that supports the side surfaces of the cutting blade, and the support plate 40 includes a first blade holding portion 42A and a second blade holding portion 42B. Has been.

  Referring to FIG. 2, an exploded perspective view of the cutting unit 32 is shown. A blade mount 52 is fixed to the tip of the spindle 50 rotatably accommodated in the blade cover 34 of the cutting unit 32.

  The blade mount 52 has a boss portion 54 and a flange portion 56 formed integrally with the boss portion 54, and a male screw 58 is formed on the boss portion 54. Reference numeral 60 denotes a washer-type cutting blade entirely composed of a grindstone (cutting blade), which is formed by solidifying diamond abrasive grains with a metal bond, a resin bond, or a vitrified bond. The washer-type cutting blade 60 has an opening 61.

  Reference numeral 62 denotes a fixed flange. The first surface 62a that contacts the cutting blade 60, the second surface 62b opposite to the first surface 62a, and the second surface 62b to the second surface 62b as shown in FIG. It has a plurality of through holes 64 penetrating through one surface 62a. The fixing flange 62 further has an opening 63 having a smaller diameter than the opening 61 of the washer type cutting blade 60.

  A washer-type cutting blade 60 is inserted into the boss portion 54 of the blade mount 52, and a fixing flange 62 is inserted into the boss portion 54 of the blade mount 52, and then a fixing nut 66 is screwed into the male screw 58 of the boss portion 54. By tightening, the washer-type cutting blade 60 is sandwiched between the flange portion 56 and the fixed flange 62 of the blade mount 52 and attached to the tip portion of the spindle 50.

  Referring to FIG. 3A, the support plate 40 of the blade rack 38 is provided with a first blade holding part 42A and a second blade holding part 42B. The first blade holding part 42 </ b> A and the second blade holding part 42 </ b> B have the same structure, and include a cylindrical insertion part 44 standing on the support plate 40 and an annular elastic member 48.

  The annular elastic member 48 is made of rubber or sponge. The cylindrical insertion portion 44 is provided with a plurality of stoppers 46 that restrict the passage of the fixed flange 62 and permit the passage of the fixed flange 62 when a force greater than a preset value is applied.

  Referring to FIG. 3B, there is shown a perspective view of a state where the washer-type cutting blade 60 and the fixing flange 62 are inserted into the cylindrical insertion portion 44 of the first blade holding portion 42A. The second blade holding part 42B is shown in an empty state without holding anything.

  Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a cross-sectional view of a state in which the fixing flange 62 is inserted into the cylindrical insertion portion 44 of the first blade holding portion 42 </ b> A of the blade rack 38. An annular convex portion 65 having an outer diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the opening 61 of the washer-type cutting blade 60 is formed on the first surface 62 a of the fixed flange 62. 60 is supported concentrically on the fixed flange 62 and abuts against the annular elastic member 48 on the opposite side of the fixed flange 62. The escape of the fixed flange 62 is regulated by the stopper 46.

  Referring to FIG. 5A, a cross-sectional view of the blade replacement jig 70 is shown. FIG. 5B is a left side view of the blade replacement jig shown in FIG. A suction path 78 is formed in the main body 72 of the blade replacement jig 70, and a suction port 76 communicating with the suction path 78 is opened on the suction surface 74. The suction path 78 of the blade replacement jig 70 is connected to a suction source 82 via an external suction path 80, and an electromagnetic switching valve 84 is interposed in the suction path 80.

  The blade holding jig 70 has a recess 73 into which the cylindrical insertion portion 44 of the first and second blade holding portions 42A and 42B and the boss portion 54 of the blade mount 52 can be inserted. The suction surface 74 has a first O-ring 86 having an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the second surface 62 b of the fixing flange 62, and an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the first O-ring 86. The second O-ring 88 is disposed concentrically at a predetermined distance, and a suction path 78 is formed in a region surrounded by the first O-ring 86 and the second O-ring 88. A communicating suction port 76 is provided.

  Next, the operation of the cutting blade replacement system according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. To replace the cutting blade 60, first, as shown in FIG. 6A, the blade replacement jig 70 is moved in the direction of the arrow Y1, and the cylindrical insertion portion 44 of the blade rack 38 is moved to the blade replacement jig 70. The first and second O-rings 86 and 88 are brought into contact with the second surface 62 b of the fixing flange 62 by being inserted into the recess 73.

  In this state, when the electromagnetic switching valve 84 is switched to the communication position and the suction path 78 is connected to the suction source 82, a negative pressure acts on the suction port 76, and the suction surface 74 of the blade replacement jig 70 causes the second of the fixed flange 62. The surface 62b is adsorbed to hold the fixing flange 62, and the cutting blade 60 is also adsorbed and held through the through hole 64 at the same time.

  In this state, as shown in FIG. 6B, when the blade holding jig 70 is moved in the arrow Y2 direction, a force of a predetermined value or more is applied to the stopper 46, so that the stopper 46 is pushed into the blade replacement jig 70. The adsorbed fixing flange 62 is allowed to pass, and the fixing flange 62 is taken out from the cylindrical insertion portion 44 of the blade rack 38 together with the cutting blade 60.

  On the other hand, in order to remove the cutting blade 60 mounted on the blade mount 52 together with the fixing flange 62, the blade replacement jig 70 is moved in the Y1 direction as shown in FIG. In contact with the second surface 62b.

  When the electromagnetic switching valve 84 is switched to the communication position in this state, negative pressure acts on the suction port 76, and the fixed flange 62 is attracted to the suction surface 74 of the blade replacement jig 70 together with the cutting blade 60.

  In this state, as shown in FIG. 7B, when the blade replacement jig 70 is moved in the arrow Y2 direction, the cutting blade 60 can be removed from the blade mount 52 together with the fixed flange 62. 8A is a perspective view of a state corresponding to FIG. 7A, and FIG. 8B is a perspective view of a state corresponding to FIG. 7B.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 9, how to replace the used cutting blade 60 and the unused cutting blade 60 held by the blade rack 30 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 9A, the used cutting blade 60 sucked by the blade replacement jig 70 is moved in the direction of the arrow Y1 and mounted on the second holding portion 42B of the blade rack 38.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 9B, the unused cutting blade 60 held by the first blade holding portion 42A of the blade rack 38 is adsorbed by the blade changing jig 70 together with the fixed flange 62, and the direction of the arrow Y2 The unused cutting blade 60 is removed from the first blade holding portion 42 </ b> A of the blade rack 38 together with the fixing flange 62.

  Thus, the unused cutting blade 60 removed together with the fixed flange 62 from the first blade holding portion 42A of the blade rack 38 moves the blade replacement jig 70 in the arrow Y1 direction as shown in FIG. Thus, after being inserted into the boss portion 54 of the blade mount 52 and releasing the negative pressure acting on the blade replacement jig 70 as shown in FIG. 10B, the blade replacement jig 70 is moved in the arrow Y2 direction. Then, the unused cutting blade 60 is mounted on the boss portion 54 of the blade mount 52 together with the fixed flange 62.

  Thereafter, the fixing nut 60 is screwed into and tightened with the male screw 58 formed on the boss portion 54 of the blade mount 52, whereby the unused cutting blade 60 is sandwiched between the flange portion 56 of the blade mount 52 and the fixing flange 62. And attached to the tip of the spindle 52.

  In the above-described embodiment, the aspect in which the blade replacement jig 70 is grasped by hand and the cutting blade 60 is replaced with the fixed flange 62 has been described. However, the cutting blade replacement system of the present invention is also applicable to an auto blade changer. .

2 Cutting device 6 Chuck table 32 Cutting unit 34 Spindle housing 38 Blade rack 40 Support plate 42A First blade holding portion 42B Second blade holding portion 44 Cylindrical insertion portion 46 Stopper 48 Annular elastic member 50 Spindle 52 Blade mount 54 Boss portion 56 Flange 60 Washer type cutting blade 62 Fixed flange 62a First surface 62b Second surface 64 Through hole 66 Fixed nut 70 Blade replacement jig 74 Suction surface 76 Suction port 82 Suction source 86 First O-ring 88 First 2 O-rings

Claims (3)

A cutting blade replacement system that replaces a cutting blade that is detachably attached to a blade mount fixed to a spindle of a cutting device,
A fixing flange having a first surface in contact with a side surface of the cutting blade, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a through-hole penetrating from the second surface to the first surface. When,
A cutting blade supported to contact the first surface of the fixed flange;
A blade exchanging jig having a suction surface that sucks and holds the cutting blade and the fixed flange, and a suction path having one end connected to the suction surface and the other end selectively connected to a suction means;
An electromagnetic valve for opening and closing the suction path,
When replacing the cutting blade, the suction surface of the blade replacement jig attracts the second surface of the fixed flange to hold the fixed flange, and the cutting blade passes through the through hole. Cutting blade replacement system characterized by adsorbing and holding. The suction surface of the blade replacement jig has a first O-ring having an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the second surface of the fixing flange, and an inner diameter of the first O-ring. A second O-ring having a small outer diameter is disposed concentrically at a predetermined distance, and an area surrounded by the first O-ring and the second O-ring is in the region A suction port communicating with the suction path is provided,
When the second surface of the fixed flange is sucked by the suction surface of the blade replacement jig, the penetration of the fixed flange between the first O-ring and the second O-ring. 2. The cutting blade replacement system according to claim 1, wherein the first O-ring and the second O-ring are positioned so that a hole is located. A blade rack having a plurality of blade holding portions for holding the fixed flange and the cutting blade in a state where the cutting blade is in contact with the first surface of the fixed flange and the fixed flange is located on the outside;
The cutting blade is composed of an annular cutting blade having a first opening, and the fixing flange has a second opening in the center thereof that is smaller than the first opening, and is formed on the first surface of the fixing flange. Is formed in a convex portion that is inserted into the first opening of the cutting blade and supports the cutting blade concentrically with the fixed flange,
The blade holding portion includes a support plate that supports a side surface of the cutting blade, and an insertion portion that is disposed perpendicular to the support plate and into which the annular cutting blade and the fixing flange are inserted. The plate is provided with an elastic member at a portion where the cutting blade comes into contact, and the insertion portion restricts passage of the fixed flange and passes through the fixed flange when a force exceeding a preset value is applied. 3. A stopper that allows the first and second surfaces of the cutting blade to be in contact with each other between the elastic member and the stopper. The cutting blade replacement system described.