Abstract:
A bonding apparatus includes a bonding arm which is swayable about an axis, a horn which is fixed at the end of the bonding arm to perform ultrasonic bonding, a tool fixed on the horn, and a motor on the bonding arm at the opposite end to the horn. The bonding head both moves and bonds an electronic element.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to an apparatus for mounting electronic elements on a substrate. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus for high-speed handling and mounting the electronic elements.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Arts  
           [0004]    In a conventional apparatus for mounting electronic elements, several tools are operated sequentially. For example, one tool moves an electronic element to a substrate placed on a bonding stage and then another tool bonds the element on the substrate. In other words, the electronic elements are moved and bonded by different tools.  
           [0005]    [0005]FIG. 3 is a side view of a conventional bonding head. The bonding head  10  is used to bond an electronic element  50 , which is moved by another tool (not shown) to a substrate  51 . The bonding head  10  comprises a bonding arm  12  fixed to a guide structure  20 , a horn  13  installed on an end of the bonding arm  12 , a tool  14  installed on an end of the horn  13 , and a linear motor  30  provided on the bonding arm  12  at the opposite end to the horn  13 . The bonding head  10  moves along a guideway  21  on an X-Y stage  1  by operation of the linear motor  30 . The horn  13  oscillates ultrasonically to cause tool  14  to bond the electronic element  50  to substrate  51 . The linear motor  30  has a coil  31  and a magnet  32  that surrounds the coil  31 .  
           [0006]    As described above, the conventional mounting apparatus has at least two different tools which respectively and sequentially move an electronic element to a substrate and bond the electronic element to the substrate. The use of two tools increases cost and prevents high speed operation.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    An object of the present invention is to provide a high-speed bonding apparatus that moves and bonds electronic elements with the same tool.  
           [0008]    To solve the above-mentioned problem, the apparatus of this invention has a bonding arm that can ultrasonically bond the electronic element in the conventional manner and that includes a suction apparatus for moving the electronic element. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a bonding head of the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a side view of a second embodiment of a bonding head of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a side view of a conventional bonding head. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0013]    Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0014]    The bonding head  10  holds an electronic element  50  using a tool  24  and brings it to a predetermined position on a substrate  51  placed on a stage  52 . A bonding head has a pipe  15  connected to a vacuum or other low pressure source  53  to hold an electronic element at the tip of the tool  24  with suction. After the above-mentioned steps, the bonding head  10  bonds the electronic element on the substrate using ultrasonic waves generated by the horn  13 .  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a side view of a bonding head of a first embodiment of this invention. The bonding head  10  comprises a bonding arm  12  movable about an axis  11  and located on the X-Y stage  1 , a horn  13  on an end of the bonding arm  12 , a tool  24  on an end of the horn  13 , and a motor  30  on the bonding arm  12  at the opposite end to the horn  13 . The motor  30  is formed by a coil  31  and a magnet  32  provided so as to surround the coil portion  31 . The horn  13  may be provided with an oscillator or can otherwise be made to oscillate for generating ultrasonic waves in the tool  24 .  
         [0016]    In operation, the bonding head  10  holds an electronic element  50  at the tip of the tool  24  with suction and moves the element to a predetermined position on a substrate  51 .  
         [0017]    The motor  30  generates a force to move the bonding arm  12  about the axis  11 . Thereby, the tool  24  moves substantially vertically to the stage  52  and mounts the electronic element  50  on the substrate  51 .  
         [0018]    After mounting the electronic element, the horn  13  generates ultrasonic waves to bond the element to the substrate.  
         [0019]    As a result, the moving and bonding of the electronic element  50  can be performed by the same bonding head  10 .  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 is a side view of a second embodiment of this invention.  
         [0021]    As shown in FIG. 2, a bonding head  10 ′ of this embodiment comprises plural links and rotating joints instead of the bonding arm described in the first embodiment. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a horn  13 ′ is provided with the stage.  
         [0022]    The plural links and rotating joints (link mechanism) includes a link  41 , links  43  and  44  connected to the link  41  via rotating joints  45  and  46  respectively, and a link  42  connected to the links  43  and  44  via rotating joints  47  and  48  respectively. That is to say, a parallel link mechanism composed of four links and four rotating joints is formed. The bonding head  10 ′ has a tool  24 ′ at a rotating joint  47 . The stage  52 ′ is provided with a horn  13 ′ for generating ultrasonic waves. A suitable connection  15 ′ to low pressure source  53  (FIG. 1) is provided through links and joints  41 - 48 . A motor  30  is connected to the rear end of the link  41 . This motor  30  has a coil  31  installed at the rear end of the link  41  and a magnet  32  provided on the support side so as to surround the coil  31 .  
         [0023]    During operation, the bonding head  10 ′ holds an electronic element  50  using tool  24 ′ and brings it to a predetermined position above a substrate  51  using the above-mentioned link mechanism. Using the link mechanism, the bonding head  10  can extend the tool  24 ′ to move the electronic element.  
         [0024]    The motor  30  generates force to move links  41 - 44 .  
         [0025]    Thereby, the tool  24 ′ moves substantially vertically to the stage  52  and mounts the electronic element  50  on the substrate  51 .  
         [0026]    After mounting the electronic element  50 , the horn  13 ′ generates ultrasonic waves to bond the element  50  to the substrate  51 .  
         [0027]    As a result, the moving and bonding of the electronic element  50  can be performed by the same bonding head  10 ′.  
         [0028]    While embodiments of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification and drawings, it is to be understood that the present invention is defined by the following claims when read in light of the specification and drawings.