Adhesive tape cutting method and apparatus using the same
AssigneeNitto Denko Corporation
InventorsMasayuki Yamamoto, Masaru Irie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A strip-shaped supporting adhesive tape is joined to a ring frame, and then is stuck with a cutter blade such that the cutter blade penetrates the adhesive tape. In a state where a cutting edge of the cutter blade is brought into contact with a tape joined side of the ring frame, thereafter, the adhesive tape is cut along a contour of the ring frame while electric current is fed to each of the cutter blade and the ring frame. Herein, a sensor monitors a conduction status in real time.
Claims4
An apparatus for cutting a supporting adhesive tape of insulating materials allowing a ring frame to hold a semiconductor wafer, the apparatus comprising:
- a frame holding mechanism for holding a ring frame;
- a tape supply mechanism for supplying a strip-shaped supporting adhesive tape toward the ring frame;
- a joining mechanism for pressing a joining member against a non-adhesive surface of the adhesive tape, allowing the holding means and the joining member to move relatively, and joining the adhesive tape to the ring frame;
- a cutting mechanism including a cutting member having a sharp tip end, and cutting the adhesive tape along a contour of the ring frame while bringing the cutting member penetrating the adhesive tape into contact with the ring frame;
- an electric current feed unit for feeding electric current to the ring frame via the cutting member upon cutting of the adhesive tape so as to establish electrical conduction when the cutting member comes into contact with the ring frame;
- a sensor for detecting a conduction failure that occurs in lost of contact between the cutting member and the ring frame upon cutting of the adhesive tape;
- and
- a separation mechanism for separating an unnecessary portion of the cut adhesive tape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.