CA2265918A1 - Ic module, method of manufacturing the same, and ic card including ic module - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for fabricating an IC module (1) including a resin packaging step conducted by using top and bottom forces (5) defining a cavity (50) in a clamped state, wherein the packaging step comprises placing a substrate (2) on which an IC chip (3) is mounted and a winding coil (20A) having a doughnutlike planar shape and a flat overall shape in a cavity (50) and injecting a molten resin into the cavity (50). When resin packaging is conducted on a substrate (2) on which an antenna coil (20) is patterned, spacers (28) having a height equal to or substantially equal to that of the cavity (50) are provided on the substrate (2), which is then placed in the cavity (50) and packaged by injecting the molten resin. Alternatively, the substrate (2) in the cavity (50) may be vacuum-clamped. The IC chip (3) and the antenna coil (20) can be well protected by such a method.

Description

1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-llSp ecificationIC Module, Method of Manufacturing the Same,and IC Card Including IC ModuleTechnical FieldThe present invention relates to an IC card, such as an “ID card,”provided with an information storage function by containing an IC chip, anIC card module incorporated in the IC card and including an IC chip, and amethod of manufacturing the module.Background ArtAs is well known, there are cards with an information storagefunction. Some of them store information by magnetic stripes and othersare “IC cards” including IC memories.Advantageously, such cards are suitably formed as “non-contact typeinformation storage cards” and, when compared with magnetic stripe typecards, they can easily be increased in information storage capacity and arehighly effective in preventing forgery. It is therefore expected to achieveIC cards having a higher information processing or communication functionby incorporating memory chips, CPUs and the like with increased storageIn the future, it is expected that the IC cards beutilized as telephone cards or tools for carrying information on electroniccapacity into the cards.money.For example, the non-contact type IC card is a card in which anantenna coil (hereinafter, referred to as a “coil”) formed by winding ametallic wire, for example, is electrically connected to an IC chip and buriedin the card body made, for example, of plastic, or a card in which asubstrate on which an IC chip is placed and an antenna coil is patterned isburied in the card body. In this kind of IC cards, the antenna coilfunctions as an antenna for transmitting and receiving radio waves to andfrom the outside and also functions as a coil for generating electromotiveforce to be supplied to the IC chip. Therefore, the IC card of this type hasan advantage that incorporation of a power supply such as a battery is not-1-1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-llrequired.In the future, not only IC cards but such cards that are formed tocontain IC chips to provide special functions are required to be increasinglythinner. Then, it can not be expected but that the force caused by a user’shandling or the force received from the transportation system of amechanical card reader causes such thin cards to bend to some extent. Aproblem in this case is influences on a built-in IC chip when the IC cardbends.stress tends to be caused, when the card bends, at a portion where the ICSince the IC chip is built in the plastic card as described above,chip is incorporated. In this case, the IC chip may be stripped out of aprescribed interconnection pattern or the IC chip itself may be damaged.In other words, a power supply path to the IC chip may be cut stoppingsupply of power, the contents stored in the IC chip may be lost, and so on.That may result in a situation where the properties inherent in IC chipsare eliminated. Accordingly, effective protection of the IC chipsincorporated in the IC cards is further required as the IC cards are madethinner.Therefore, by resin molding using dies such as injection molding andtransfer molding, a substrate on which an IC chip is placed has beenpackaged, together with an antenna coil, with a resin so that they form amodule. However, the following disadvantages have been caused in theresin packaging process.Firstly, when a coil is used as an antenna coil and a substrate 2 onwhich an IC chip 3 is placed is packaged together with the coil with a resin,disadvantages have been caused as described below.As shown in Fig. 18, when a coil 20A is packaged together withsubstrate 2 with a resin, coil 20A is housed together with substrate 2 onwhich IC chip 3 is placed in a cavity 50 formed by upper and lower dies 5A,5B so that they surround IC chip 3 and substrate 2. Here, coil 20a isformed by winding a metallic wire around a column-shaped rod, forSince theformation is carried out by increasing the number of winding times in theexample, several tens of times to ensure a desired function.thickness direction because it is easy to perform, the thickness has been-2-1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-llrelatively large. When a melted resin. is introduced into cavity 50 througha gate 52, therefore, the large thickness of coil 20A blocks the melted resinintroduced from gate 52, thus preventing flow of the melted resin in cavity50. Since the melted resin is relatively viscous, the resin lifts coil 20Aupward and forms a flow path in a lower portion of coil 20A, as shown bythe arrow, when the melted resin flows in cavity 50. Thus, the meltedresin hardly diffuses in the region denoted by the character A and it causesWhen the resin sets while coil 20A is lifted upward,coil 20A may be exposed from the surface of the resin package or it maya void and a pinhole.easily be exposed, and therefore coil 20A is easily damaged.Secondly, when an antenna coil formed by patterning copper onsubstrate 2 formed, for example, of a resin film is adopted as antenna coil20A and packaged with a resin, disadvantages have been caused asdescribed below.As shown in Fig. 19, when IC chip 3 is housed together withsubstrate 2 in cavity 50 so as to package IC chip 3 and substrate 2 with aresin, dies 5 are preheated, and therefore substrate 2 tends to be thermallyexpanded. Since antenna coil 20 is spirally patterned on substrate 2 usingcopper which is lower in coefficient of thermal expansion than substrate 2,expansion of substrate 2 is hindered by antenna coil 20 and substrate 2 iswarped in a dish shape as a result. When a melted resin is introducedinto cavity 50 in this situation, the melted resin flows under the backsurface of substrate 2 as shown by the arrow in the drawing. Since themelted resin is relatively viscous, the melted resin which flows under theIf the meltedresin sets in this situation, IC chip 3 may be exposed from the surface of theback surface of substrate 2 may lift substrate 2 upward.resin package or it may easily be exposed. Thus, IC chip 3 is susceptible todamages.Disclosure of InventionThe present invention is intended to eliminate the conventionalproblems described above and its object is to provide a technique capable ofproviding good protection of an IC chip and an antenna coil.An IC module for achieving the object above in a first aspect of the-3-, , ............t_..—--.-........M.. ,. .. ,,...i.........——._._....,..1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-llpresent invention, formed by packaging, with a resin, a substrate, an ICchip placed on the substrate, and a coil formed of a metallic wire, ischaracterized in that the coil is electrically connected to the IC chip and isflattened as a whole.In a preferred embodiment, the cross section of the coil perimeterportion is formed to a tapered shape which decreases in thickness towardthe perimeter.A method of manufacturing an IC module in a second aspect of thepresent invention, including a resin packaging process using upper andlower dies for forming a cavity while the dies are clamped, is characterizedin that the resin packaging process is carried out by introducing a meltedresin while a substrate on which an IC chip is placed and a coil which iselectrically connected to the IC chip and is flattened as a whole are housedin the cavity.In the manufacturing method, a flattened coil, that is, a coil having asmall thickness is used. When a melted resin is introduced into the cavitywhile the coil is housed, flow of the melted resin from the periphery of thecavity to the center is hardly hindered by the coil, and the melted resin canflow smoothly in the cavity.Especially when such a coil is adopted that is formed to a taperedshape so that the cross section of the perimeter portion decreases inthickness toward the perimeter, the melted resin can flow more smoothly,and the melted resin can be distributed to the portions over and under thecoil and spread in the entire cavity. It can prevent formation of a void anda pinhole in the resin package at the end of designing. Since the flow ofthe melted resin is distributed to the portions over and under the coil, thecoil will not excessively be lifted upward. Further, since the resin can beset while it sufficiently flows to an upper portion of the coil, the coil can notbe exposed from the surface of the resin package or it can not easily beexposed at the end of designing.An IC module in a third aspect of the present invention, formed bypackaging, with a resin, a substrate, an IC chip placed on the substrate,and an antenna coil electrically connected to the IC chip, is characterized in-4-1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-llthat a spacer having an equal or almost equal height to the thickness of theresin package is formed on the substrate.In a preferred embodiment, the spacer is formed of a material havingthe same or similar physical properties to those of the packaging resin.A method of manufacturing an IC module in a fourth aspect of thepresent invention, including a resin packaging process using upper andlower dies for forming a cavity while the dies are clamped, is characterizedin that the resin packaging process is carried out by introducing a meltedresin while a substrate on which an IC chip is placed, an antenna coilelectrically connected to the IC chip is patterned, and a spacer having anequal or almost equal height to the height of the cavity is formed is housedin the cavity.In the manufacturing method, a substrate on which a spacer isformed is packaged with a resin. In short, when the spacer height isdesigned corresponding to the cavity height, the spacer is arranged tovertically extend in the cavity by clamping the dies while the substrate ishoused in the cavity. Since the substrate is thus pressed against the lowerdie, the substrate is prevented from warping to a dish shape due to heat ofthe die, and this situation is maintained till the end of the resin packagingprocess. Therefore, the melted resin can not flow under the back surface ofthe substrate, the IC chip can not be lifted upward, and the IC chip can notbe exposed from the surface of the resin package at the end of resin molding.Further, a spacer that is formed of a material having the same orsimilar physical properties to those of the packaging resin can be adopted.In this case, the spacer and the resin package match well, preventing, forexample, stripping of the resin package around the spacer after molding.A method of manufacturing an IC module in a fifth aspect of thepresent invention, including a resin packaging process carried out byintroducing a melted resin into a cavity while a substrate on which an ICchip is placed and an antenna coil electrically connected to the IC chip ispatterned is housed in the cavity which is formed while upper and lowerdies are clamped, is characterized in that the substrate is sucked from theback surface side opposite to the surface of the substrate on which the IC-5-,.i..............._....._...,... . -..i~,...i...., ...... ..a..,..., _,__ M W _, __1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-llchip is placed, in the resin packaging process.According to the manufacturing method, the substrate can be drawnto the upper and lower surfaces of the cavity by sucking the substrate, andthe melted resin can be introduced in this situation. Further, thesubstrate can remain to be pressed against the side and upper surfaces ofthe cavity without being warped till introduction of the melted resin endsand the resin material sets. In short, similar effects to those of themanufacturing method according to the fourth aspect can be attained.A method of manufacturing an IC module in a sixth aspect of thepresent invention is characterized by the steps of patterning an antennacoil at a portion of a hoop shaped insulation film which is to be a substrate,mounting an IC chip to be electrically connected to a semiconductor coil,and carrying out a resin packaging process performed by using upper andlower dies for forming a cavity while the dies are clamped and sandwichingthe film by the dies so that a region for forming the IC chip and theantenna coil is housed in the cavity.In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of cavities and one or aplurality of plunger pots capable of supplying a melted resin into thecavities are formed while the dies are clamped, and the resin packagingprocess is carried out by introducing the melted resin from one plunger potto a plurality of cavities.In a preferred embodiment, the patterning step includes the steps offorming a metallic coating layer on the film and etching the metalliccoating layer, and at least two rows of patterns may be formed in the widthdirection of the film.In the manufacturing method, resin packaging is not carried outwhile an IC chip is placed on a substrate which is formed to a prescribedshape but it is carried out while an IC chip is placed on a hoop shapedinsulation film. For example, the insulation film has engagement holesformed at regular intervals at the both side ends in the width direction, andpitch feeding or continuous feeding of the film is carried out when clawsprovided on a claw roller engage with the holes. Since constant tension isapplied to the insulation film in the resin packaging process and the-5-1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-llinsulation film has a hoop shape in this case, the film will not be warpeddue to heat when a portion to be packaged with a resin is sandwiched bythe dies.Although the resin packaging process is carried out continuously asdescribed above according to the present invention, the steps of patterningan antenna coil and mounting an IC chip may be carried out at theupstream of the portion where the resin packaging process of the insulationfilm is carried out, and the IC module may be punched from the insulationfilm at the downstream. Of course, patterning, mounting of an IC chip,and punching can be implemented automatically by using a prescribeddevice, and the resin packaging process can also be carried outautomatically by using a die device. In short, automatic manufacturing ofan IC module can be implemented according to the configuration.An IC card in a seventh aspect of the present invention ischaracterized by the IC module in the first aspect described above. That is,the IC card which is formed by providing the card body with an IC moduleformed by packaging, with a resin, a substrate, an IC chip placed on thesubstrate, and a coil formed of a metallic wire is characterized in that thecoil is electrically connected to the IC chip and is flattened as a whole.An IC card in an eighth aspect of the present invention ischaracterized by the IC module in the third aspect described above. Thatis, the IC card which is formed by providing the card body with an ICmodule formed by packaging, with a resin, a substrate, an IC chip placedon the substrate, and a coil formed of a metallic wire is characterized inthat a spacer having an equal or almost equal height to the thickness of thepackage is formed on the substrate.In a preferred embodiment of the IC card in the seventh or eighthaspect above, the IC module is fit into the card body in which a throughhole or a concave portion corresponding to the shape of the IC module isformed, and a cover sheet may be stuck on at least one surface of the cardbody.Since the IC cards in the seventh and eighth aspects above includethe IC module in the first or third aspect above, they can of course have the-7-., ........a...p-................... .1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-lleffects of the IC module in the first or third aspect. When the cover sheetis stuck on the surface of the card body, the IC card, especially the ICmodule can be protected effectively.Other features and advantages of the present invention will be madeapparent by the following detailed description in connection with theattached drawings.Brief Description of DrawingsFig. 1 is an overall perspective View of an IC module according to afirst embodiment of the present invention.Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the IC module shown in Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional View of a main part of the ICmodule shown in Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a plan view of a substrate forming the IC module shown inFig. 1.Fig. 5 is a View for describing the resin packaging process of the ICmodule shown in Fig. 1.Fig. 6 is a view for describing a variation of the resin packagingprocess of the IC module shown in Fig. 1.Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of an IC module according to a secondembodiment of the present invention.Fig. 8 is a View for describing the resin packaging process of the ICmodule shown in Fig. 7.Fig. 9 is an overall perspective view of an upper die used in a resinpackaging process in a method of manufacturing an IC module according toa third embodiment of the present invention.Fig. 10 is an overall perspective View of a lower die used in the resinpackaging process of the IC module shown in Fig. 9.Fig. 11 is a perspective View showing an insulation film on which anantenna coil is patterned and an IC chip is placed.Fig. 12 is a cross sectional view of a state in which the dies areclamped to sandwich the insulation film shown in Fig. 1 1.Fig. 13 is an overall perspective view showing a variation of theupper die...............»...r.... . _......_..............................._.. ... ., _ .- ,, _ .. .. ..-..........c........_1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-llFig. 14 is an overall perspective view of an IC card according to thepresent invention.Fig. 15 is an exploded side view «of the IC card shown in Fig. 14.Fig. 16 is a cross sectional view taken along the line XVI - XVI in Fig.14.Fig. 17 is an exploded side View «of a variation of the IC card shownin Fig. 14.Fig. 18 is a view for describing a conventional resin packagingprocess.Fig. 19 is a view for describing another conventional resin packagingprocess.Best Mode for Carried Out the InventionThe preferred embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed below in detail with reference to the drawings.As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, an IC module 1 includes a circularsubstrate 2, an IC chip 3 placed on substrate 2, an antenna coil 20 formedon the surface of substrate 2, and a resin package 4 covering substrate 2and IC chip 3, and the IC module is formed to a column shape as a whole.IC chip 3 has EEPROM memories, for example, and other condensersthat are integrally formed, and the chip is formed to a rectangularHere, IC chip 3is mainly used as a memory having an information storage function. Asparallelepiped shape as a whole as can be seen in Fig. 1.shown in Fig. 3, antenna-connected electrodes 30, 30 are formed on themain surface 3a of IC chip 3, and electrodes 30, 30 are formed to protrudefrom main surface 3a by plating electrode pads (not shown) with gold.As shown in Fig. 4, substrate 2 is formed to a circular shape by usinga resin such as a polyimide film that has flexibility and insulatingproperties. The shape of substrate 2 is not always circular but it may beelliptical, oval, or rectangular, for example. The shape is selected asappropriate. As can be seen in Fig. 4, on the surface of substrate 2, aprescribed pattern is formed of a condu.ctor wire 20a to produce antennacoil 20, and the pattern is spiral as a whole and extends so that aprescribed portion of a conductor wire bundle 22 bends in a concave shape-9-1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-lland radially enters substrate 2. The beginning and finishing ends ofconductor wire 20a are arranged so that they sandwich conductor wirebundles 22 at the center where IC chip 3 is placed, and they are electricallyconnected to lands 2 1, 21 which are formed to protrude at the center ofsubstrate 2. The pattern is formed by an etching process after formationof a coating, for example, of copper, and lands 21, 2 1 can also be formed inthe same process. Although not shown, substrate 2 is covered, for example,with a polyimide resin to protect the pattern so that lands 21, 21 face eachother.As shown in Fig. 3, IC chip 3 is mounted so that it is electricallyconnected to lands 2 1, 21 formed on substrate 2. An anistropic conductivefilm 6 is used, for example, and anistropic conductive film 6 has a structurein which conductive particles 60 are scattered in a resin film 61 that hasadhesive properties. When IC chip 3 is to be mounted by using anistropicconductive film 6, anistropic conductive film 6 is placed between IC chip 3and substrate 2 and, in this condition, prescribed pressure is appliedbetween IC chip 3 and substrate 2 in an initial state. Further, a “solderreflow” method may be adopted for mounting IC chip 3.In the above described structure, antenna coil 20 functions as adevice for transmitting and receiving radio waves between IC chip 3 andthe outside, and a data signal is transmitted and received over the carriersof the radio waves. Since antenna coil 20 is formed to a spiral shape inwhich conductor wire 20a rotates in one direction, it also functions as a coilwhich causes inductive electromotive force by the electromagnetic inductioneffect and supplies the produced electromotive force to IC chip 3. TheIn short,the above described structure has an advantage that a power supply suchelectromotive force supplied to IC chip 3 is stored in a condenser.as a battery is not required.In resin package 4, a plurality of spacers 28 which are formed to acolumn shape by resin molding are arranged to vertically penetrate resinpackage 4. Preferably, at least three spacers 28 are arranged and they areformed of a material that has the same or similar physical properties tothose of resin package 4. Here, resin package 4 is formed by transfer-10- -.——u——__......_.... .. . .,1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-llmolding using a thermoset resin or injection molding using a thermoplasticresin, as an example.A method of manufacturing IC module 1 will be described briefly inthe following with reference to Figs. 4 and 5.First, a copper coating is formed on the surface of substrate 2 whichis, for example, of a polyimide resin having insulating properties and anunnecessary portion of the copper coating is removed by etching using anagent to form the pattern of conductor wire 20a which is spiral as a wholeIn otherwords, the pattern of conductor wire 20a is made antenna coil 20. Theand lands 2 1, 21 which are electrically connected to the pattern.copper coating is formed, for example, by sticking a copper foil, sputtering,deposition or CVD.Then, IC chip 3 is mounted on lands 21, 21.mounted by appropriately selecting the method using anistropic conductiveThe chip can befilm 6 as described above or the method of well-known solder reflow.Further, spacer 28 that is formed, for example, to a column shape by resinmolding is arranged on substrate 2. Spacer 28 is formed to have an almostequal height to the vertical height of a cavity 50 which is formed while dies5 described below are clamped, and at least three spacers are preferablyarranged and formed of a resin which has the same or similar physicalproperties to those of resin package 4. Antenna coil 20 as shown in Fig. 4and substrate 2 on which IC chip 3 is placed are formed in this manner.Here, substrate 2 may be formed by carrying out punching in advance andpatterning the thus formed column shape, for example, or it may be formedto a circular shape by carrying out punching when the resin packagingprocess is to be carried out after patterning.Subsequently, substrate 2 that has been processed as describedabove is housed in cavity 50 which is formed by dies 5A, 5B and clamped,and a melted resin is introduced into cavity 50 through a gate 52. Thus,resin package 4 is formed. When the melted resin sets and resin package4 is formed, the package is taken out of dies 5 to form IC module 1 asshown in Fig. 1. Here, the resin packaging process is carried out byinjection molding using a thermoplastic resin or transfer molding using a-11-1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-llthermoset resin as described above.In the resin packaging process of the manufacturing methoddescribed above, a substrate on which a spacer is formed.is adopted assubstrate 2. In other words, when the height of spacer 28 is setcorresponding to the height of cavity 50, spacer 28 is arranged to verticallyextend in cavity 50 by clamping the dies while substrate 2 is housed incavity 50 as can be seen in Fig. 5. Since, substrate 2 is thus pressedagainst lower die 5B, substrate 2 can never warp to a dish shape due toheat from dies 5, and this state is maintained till the end of the resinpackaging process. This prevents flow of the melted resin under the backsurface of substrate 2 and of course prevents uplifting of IC chip 3.Further, IC chip 3 can not be exposed from the surface of resin package 4 atthe end of resin molding.When a spacer which is formed of a material having the same orsimilar physical properties to those of the package resin is adopted asspacer 28, spacer 28 easily matches with resin package 4, and stripping ofresin package 4 around spacer 28 after molding can be prevented.In carrying out the resin packaging, the method of causing substrate2 to extend along the bottom surface of the cavity of lower die 5B is ofcourse not limited to the above described embodiment. For example, theperimeter portion of substrate 2 may be sucked while substrate 2 on whichIC chip 3 and the like are placed is provided on the bottom surface of thecavity of lower die 5B as shown in Fig. 6. In this case, substrate 2 issucked through a hole 51, and approximately three or more holes 51 areSubstrate 2 issucked till the melted resin sets, preferably, till the temperature of theWhen the resinpackaging is carried out by sucking substrate 2 in this manner, flow of thepreferably provided similarly to spacers 28 described above.formed resin package 4 attains a normal temperature.melted resin under the back surface of substrate 2 and resulting upliftingof IC chip 3 are prevented as in the embodiment described above. Whensubstrate 2 is sucked till resin package 4 comes to have a normaltemperature, warping of resin package 4 due to a difference in thecoefficient of heat contraction between substrate 2 and resin package 4 is, ......_........--....u...-..........s . . ,.,.,......_....._- ._ .1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-llprevented.The basic structure of IC module 1 according to the embodiment isalmost the same as IC module 1 according to the first embodimentdescribed above. In short, lands 21, 2 1 are formed, for example, of copperon substrate 2 which is formed, for example, of a polyimide film, and ICIn the embodiment, a coil 20A is adoptedas antenna coil 20 unlike the first embodiment described above.chip 3 is placed on lands 21, 21.As shown in Fig. 7, coil 20A has a doughnut shape when observedfrom above, and the coil is flattened as a whole. Further, the cross sectionof perimeter 20B of coil 20A is formed to a tapered shape that decreases inThe -coil 20A is formed by winding ametallic wire, for example, around a column-shaped rod ten times tothickness toward the perimeter.several tens of times. Although not shown in the drawing, the beginningand finishing ends of coil 20A are connected to a conductor pad or the likeformed on substrate 2, and the conductor pad is electrically connected tolands 2 1, 2 1.A method of manufacturing IC module 1 will be described briefly inthe following with reference to Fig. 8.First, a copper coating is formed in a similar manner to the firstembodiment described above on the surface of substrate 2, for example, of apolyimide resin with insulating properties, and an unnecessary portion ofthe copper coating is removed by etching using an agent to form lands 21,2 1 on which IC chip 3 is mounted and a conductor pad which is electricallyconnected to lands 21, 21.a circular shape, for example, which is punched in advance, or theHere, substrate 2 may be formed by patterningsubstrate may be formed, for example, to a circular shape by carrying outpunching when resin package 4 is to be formed after patterning or the like.Then, IC chip 3 is mounted on lands 21, 21. The lands can bemounted by properly selecting the method using anistropic conductive film6 described above or the method of well-known solder reflow.Thereafter, substrate 2 which has been processed as described aboveand coil 20A are housed in cavity 50 which is formed by dies 5A, 5B, thedies are clamped, and a melted resin is introduced into cavity 50 through-13-, , ..,.._,......._....-.,...,1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-llgate 52 to form resin package 4. When the melted resin sets and resinpackage 4 is formed, IC module 1 as shown in Fig. 7 is formed by taking itout of dies 5. Here, the resin packaging process is carried out by injectionmolding using a thermoplastic resin or transfer molding using a thermosetresin.In the manufacturing method, a flattened coil, that is, a coil having asmall thickness is used as coil 20A. When a melted resin is introducedinto cavity 50 while coil 20A is housed, therefore, flow of the melted resinfrom the perimeter of cavity 50 to the center is not easily prohibited, andthe melted resin can flow smoothly in cavity 50.Especially when coil 20A of which cross section of perimeter 20B isformed to a tapered shape which decreases in thickness toward theperimeter is adopted, the melted resin can flow more smoothly. As can beseen in Fig. 8, the melted resin can be distributed to the portions over andunder coil 20A and spread throughout -cavity 50. Accordingly, formation ofa void or a pinhole at the end of molding can be prevented. Since the flowof the melted resin is distributed to the portions over and under coil 20A,coil 20A will not be lifted unnecessarily, and the resin can set while itsufficiently flows to an upper portion of coil 20A. Accordingly, coil 20A cannot be exposed from the surface of resin package 4 or it can not be easilyexposed at the end of molding.The method of manufacturing IC module 1 according to theembodiment includes the steps of patterning antenna coil 20 and landselectrically connected to the antenna coil in a portion which is to besubstrate 2 on hoop-shaped insulation film 2A, mounting IC chip 3 on lands21, 2 1, and carrying out resin packaging using a die device for molding.As shown in Fig. 11, insulation film 2A is formed to a hoop shape byusing a polyimide resin, for example, a:nd has holes 23 formedlongitudinally at regular intervals and a plurality of engagement holes 2bformed at regular intervals at the both side ends in the width direction. Inshort, insulation film 2A is formed so that pitch feeding or continuousfeeding is carried out when claws provided on a claw roller (not shown)engage with the engagement holes.- 14-1015202530CA 022659l8 1999-03-11The patterning step is carried out by providing etching using anagent to leave a desired portion after formation of a coating, for example, ofcopper as in the embodiment described. above. In the embodiment, tworows of patterns are formed in the width direction.IC chip 3 is mounted by the method using anistropic conductive film6 described above or the method of well-known solder reflow.The resin packaging process is carried out by injection molding ortransfer molding using a prescribed die device for molding. When resinpackaging is to be performed by transfer molding as an example, such diedevice for molding is adopted that includes upper and lower dies 5A, 5Bwith lower die 5B attached to a movable board which can vertically movesuch as by hydraulic pressure and upper die 5A attached to the bottomsurface of a floating board which goes up when the movable board rises.For, example, the structure as shown in Fig. 9 is adopted as upperdie 5A. That is, upper die 5A includes a base plate 8 attached to thebottom surface of the floating board, and a chase block 8 1 attached to thebottom surface of base plate 8 with a frame body 80 placed therebetween.As can be seen in Fig. 12, through holes 8b, 80b, 81b which are of columnshape, for example, are formed in members 8, 80, 81 and, when members 8,80, 81 are attached to the floating board, a hole for forming a plunger pot .85 is formed by through holes 8b, 80b, 81b.The structure as shown in Fig. 1.0 is adopted as lower die 5B. Thatis, lower die 5B includes a base plate 8a attached to the top surface of themovable board, and a chase block 81a attached to the top surface of baseAs shown in Fig. 10,chase block 81a has a concave portion 82a formed at the center and fourplate 8a with a frame body 80a placed therebetween.cavities 50a, for example, which are connected to concave portion 82aWhen dies5A, 5B are clamped, concave portion 82a connects to the hole formed inthrough runner grooves 52a are formed in a concave manner.upper die 5A and forms plunger pot 85.In the die device for molding for:med as described above, the resinpackaging process is carried out as described below.First, as shown in Fig. 12, dies 5 are clamped so that IC chip 3 and-15-1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-llantenna coil 20 on insulation film 2A are housed in cavity 50 which isformed while dies 5A, 5B are clamped, that is, so that a rectangular regionsurrounded by the dotted line in Fig. 1 1 is sandwiched by dies 5A, 5B whileIC chip 3 protrudes downward.Then, a resin tablet 90 is filled in plunger pot 85 that is formed whiledies 5 are clamped. At this time, resin tablet 90 melts because dies 5 arepreheated to a prescribed temperature. The melted resin is pressurized bya plunger 9 that is inserted into plunger pot 85, and the resin is introducedinto each cavity 50 through each runner 52.Thereafter, the introduced melted resin spreads in cavity 50, dies 5A,5B are separated if the resin sets, and a portion which is to be IC module 1is cut from insulation film 2A such as by punching. Thus, IC module 1 isobtained.In the manufacturing method above, insulation film 2A which issubjected to pitch feeding by rotation of a hoop-shaped claw roller providedwith engagement holes 26 is adopted. Therefore, the packaging step canbe carried out continuously by successively causing pitch feeding ofinsulation film 2A. In this case, two rows of insulation films 2A may bearranged in the direction denoted by the arrow B in Fig. 10 and eight ICchips 3 may be packaged with a resin for each pitchifeeding of insulationfilms 2A, 2A in the direction denoted by the arrow a. Further, eight ICchips 3 may be packaged with a resin at a time by pitch feeding in thedirection denoted by the arrow B.Besides, the number of IC chips which can be packaged at a timemay be increased by increasing the number of cavities 50a formed in chaseblock 81a, or by increasing chase blocks 80, 81a attached to base plates 8,8a.In the resin packaging process as described above, insulation film 2Ais supplied with constant tension and is formed to a hoop shape, andtherefore the film will not be warped when a portion to be packaged with aresin is sandwiched by dies 5.Although the resin packaging process can be carried outcontinuously according to the manufacturing method described above,-16-1015202530CA 02265918 1999-03-llantenna coil 20 may be patterned and IC chip 3 may be mounted on theupstream side of a portion where insulation films 2A is packaged with aresin, and IC module 1 may be punched from insulation film 2A on thedownstream side. Patterning, mounting of IC chip 3, and punching can beperformed automatically by using a prescribed device, and the resinpackaging process can also be performed automatically by using a diedevice. In short, automatic manufacturing of IC module 1 can be achievedaccording to the configuration.The structure as shown in Fig. 13 can be adopted as lower die 5B.Lower die 5B here differs from lower die 5B shown in Fig. 10 in thatconcave portion 82a for forming plunger pot 85 which is formed while dies 5are clamped is not formed in chase block 81a and it is formed in a centerblock 88 attached to base plate 8a.not introduced from one plunger pot 85 to four cavities 59 but from oneIn lower die 5B here, a melted resin isplunger pot 85 to two cavities 59, and resin packaging is carried out bypitch feeding of insulation film 2A in a parallel direction to the row ofplunger pots 85. When the resin packaging process is carried out byadopting lower die 5B having the structure above, therefore, formation of ahole 23 for plunger pot 85 in insulation film 2A is not necessary.In the above described embodiment, a melted resin is introducedwhile IC chip 3 is housed in cavity 50 so that it protrudes downward.However, resin packaging may be performed by clamping dies 5 while ICchip 3 protrudes upward. In this case, modification of the die structure isof course necessary.As shown in Figs. 15 and 16, IC card 7 includes IC module 1according to either embodiment described above, a card body 7A in whichIC module 1 is fit, and cover sheets 70, 70 which are stuck on the top andbottom surfaces of card body 7A. As shown in Fig. 14, IC card 7 has arectangular shape when observed from above, and it is formed to have athickness of about 0.76 mm with the thickness of an adhesive describedbelow included.In card body 7A, a through hole '71 which has a column shapecorresponding to the shape of IC module 1 and in which IC module 1 is fit is-17-1015CA 02265918 1999-03-llCard body 7Ais formed to have a thickness of about 0.45 mm by using a polyethyleneterephthalate (hereinafter, referred to as “PET”) resin, polyvinyl chloride(hereinafter, referred to as “PVC”) or the like.Cover sheets 70, 7 O are formed to have a thickness of about 0.15 mmformed at a portion longitudinally shifted from the center.by using a resin such as PET or PVC, a.nd they are stuck on the top andbottom surfaces of card body 7A with an adhesive, for example. IC module1 can be protected by sticking cover sheets 70, 70.As shown in Fig. 16, IC module 1 is fit into through hole 71 of cardbody 7A, sandwiched by cover sheets 7 O, 7 0, and inscribed with card body7A. When module 1 is to be fit into through hole 70, an adhesive, forexample, of an epoxy resin may be used and the method may be selected asappropriate. 4IC card 7 is not limited to the structures of the embodimentsdescribed above. As shown in Fig. 16, a concave portion 71a may beformed instead of through hole 71 in ca.rd body 7A. In this case, coversheet 70 only has to be stuck on at least the surface having the openingside of concave portion 71a.-18.-

Claims (15)

Claims

1. An IC module formed by packaging, with a resin, a substrate (1), an IC chip (3) placed on the substrate (1), and a coil (20A) formed of a metallic wire, characterized in that said coil (20A) is electrically connected to said IC chip (3) and is flattened as a whole.

2. The IC module according to claim 1, wherein the cross section of the perimeter of said coil (20A) is formed to a tapered shape that decreases in thickness toward the perimeter.

3. A method of manufacturing an IC module including a resin packaging process using upper and lower dies (5) for forming a cavity (50) while the dies are clamped, characterized in that said resin packaging process is carried out by introducing a melted resin while a substrate (1) on which an IC chip (3) is placed and a coil (20A) electrically connected to said IC chip (53) and is flattened as a whole is housed in said cavity (50).

4. An IC module formed by packaging, with a resin, a substrate (2), an IC chip (3) placed on the substrate (2), and an antenna coil electrically connected to the IC chip (3), characterized in that a spacer (28) having an equal or almost equal height to the thickness of a resin package (4) is formed on said substrate (2).

5. The IC module according to claim 4, wherein said spacer (28) is formed of a material having same or similar physical properties to those of a packaging resin.

6. A method of manufacturing an IC module including a resin packaging process using upper and lower dies (5) for forming a cavity (50) while the dies are clamped, characterized in that the resin packaging process is carried out by introducing a melted resin while a substrate (2) on which an IC chip (3) is placed, an antenna coil (20) electrically connected to the IC chip (3) is patterned, and a spacer (28) having an equal or almost equal height to the height of said cavity (50) is formed is housed in said cavity (50).

7. A method of manufacturing an IC module including a resin packaging process carried out by introducing a melted resin into a cavity (50) while a substrate (2) on which an IC chip (3) is placed and an antenna coil (20) electrically connected to the IC chip (3) is patterned is housed in the cavity (50) which is formed while upper and lower dies (5) are clamped, characterized in that said substrate (2) is sucked from a back surface side of the surface of said substrate (2) on which the IC chip (3) is placed, in said resin packaging process.

8. A method of manufacturing an IC module characterized by the steps of:
patterning an antenna coil (20) at a portion to be a substrate (2) on a hoop-shaped insulation film (2A);
mounting an IC chip (3) to be electrically connected to said antenna coil (20); and carrying out a resin packaging process performed by using upper and lower dies (5) for forming a cavity (50) while the dies are clamped, and sandwiching said insulation film (2A) by said dies (5) so that a region for forming said IC chip (3) and said antenna coil (20) is housed in said cavity (50).

9. The method of manufacturing an IC module according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of said cavities (50) and one or a plurality of plunger pots (85) capable of supplying a melted resin into the cavities (50) are formed while said dies (5) are clamped, and said resin packaging process is carried out by introducing a melted resin from one of said plunger pots (85) to a plurality of said cavities (50).

10. The method of manufacturing an IC module according to claim 8, wherein said patterning step includes the steps of forming a metallic coating layer on said insulation film (2a) and etching the metallic coating layer.

11. The method of manufacturing an IC module according to claim 8, wherein at least two rows of patterns are formed in the width direction of said insulation film (2A).

12. An IC card including an IC module, on a card body (7A), formed by packaging, with a resin, a substrate (1), an IC chip (3) placed on the substrate (1), and a coil (20A) formed of a metallic wire, characterized in that said coil (20A) is electrically connected to said IC chip (3) and is flattened as a whole.

13. An IC card including an IC module, on a card body (7A), formed by packaging, with a resin, a substrate (2), an IC chip (3) placed on the substrate (2), and an antenna coil (20) electrically connected to the IC chip (3), characterized in that a spacer (28) having an equal or almost equal height to the thickness of a resin package (4) is formed on said substrate (2).

14. The IC card according to claim 12, wherein said IC module (1) is fit into said card body (7A) in which a through hole or a concave portion (71a) corresponding to the shape of the IC module (1) is formed.

15. The IC card according to claim 13, wherein a cover sheet (70) is stuck on at least one surface of said card body (7A).