GRINDING WHEEL

Abstract

A grinding wheel includes: a wheel body positioned over a wafer; a plurality of wheel tips disposed on the wheel body; and a support block disposed on the wheel body and an outer side surface of each of the wheel tips.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 USC § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0132389, filed on Oct. 5, 2023 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Example embodiments of the present inventive concept relate to a grinding wheel. More particularly, example embodiments of the present inventive concept relate to a grinding wheel including wheel tips.

DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART

Generally, to reduce a thickness of a wafer, a backside of the wafer may be grinded by using a grinding wheel. The grinding wheel may include a wheel, a base shank, a plurality of wheel tips, etc. The wheel may be rotated over the wafer. Generally, the base shank may be arranged at an edge portion of a lower surface of the wheel. In addition, the wheel tips may be provided to the base shank to grind the backside of the wafer.

According to related arts, the wheel tips may make contact with the wafer such that a frictional force is applied between the wheel tips and the wafer so that the wheel tips may be continuously worn. Thus, it may be desirable to periodically exchange the wheel, which includes the wheel tips, for a new wheel. To increase the exchange period of the wheel, wheel tips with a long length may be provided. However, the wheel tip having the long length may be easily broken.

SUMMARY

According to example embodiments of the present inventive concept, a grinding wheel includes: a wheel body positioned over a wafer; a plurality of wheel tips disposed on the wheel body; and a support block disposed on the wheel body and an outer side surface of each of the wheel tips.

According to example embodiments of the present inventive concept, a grinding wheel includes: a wheel arranged over a wafer; a base shank arranged on an edge portion of a first surface of the wheel; a plurality of wheel tips arranged on a first surface of the base shank; and a support block disposed on the base shank and an outer side surface of each of the wheel tips, wherein the support block has a first surface that is higher than a first end of each of the wheel tips.

According to example embodiments of the present inventive concept, a grinding wheel includes: a wheel arranged over a wafer; a base shank arranged on an edge portion of a lower surface of the wheel; a plurality of wheel tips arranged on a lower surface of the base shank; a support block disposed on the base shank and an outer side surface of each of the wheel tips; and a control module that controls a position of the support block.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features of the present inventive concept will become more apparent by describing in detail example embodiments thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a grinding wheel in accordance with example embodiments of the present inventive concept;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the grinding wheel in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the grinding wheel in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion “A” in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a grinding wheel in accordance with example embodiments of the present inventive concept;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the grinding wheel in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the grinding wheel in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion “B” in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a grinding wheel in accordance with example embodiments of the present inventive concept;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the grinding wheel in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion “C” in FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, example embodiments of the present inventive concept will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a grinding wheel in accordance with example embodiments of the present inventive concept. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the grinding wheel in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the grinding wheel in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion “A” in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a grinding wheel 100 according to example embodiments of the present inventive concept may include a wheel body 110, a plurality of wheel tips 140 and a support block 150.

The wheel body 110 may be arranged over a wafer. The wafer may be fixed to an upper surface of a chuck. The chuck may be rotated with respect to a vertical direction or vertical axis. Thus, the wafer may also be rotated with respect to the vertical direction. The wheel body 110 may be rotated with respect to the vertical direction. In example embodiments of the present inventive concept, the wheel body 110 may include a wheel 120 and a base shank 130.

The wheel 120 may have an annular shape. The wheel 120 may have a size corresponding to a size of the wafer. The wheel 120 may have a lower surface that is oriented toward the wafer. The wheel 120 may include a spring flange configured to receive a rotary force from a spindle. Thus, the wheel 120 may be rotated with respect to the vertical direction.

The base shank 130 may be arranged along a lower surface of the wheel 120, which has an annular shape. For example, the base shank 130 may be fixed to the lower surface of the wheel 120 by using a bolt T. The base shank 130 may be rotated together with the wheel 120 with respect to the vertical direction. An outer side surface of the base shank 130 may be substantially coplanar with an outer side surface of the wheel 120, but the present inventive concept is not limited thereto.

The wheel tips 140 may be arranged on a lower surface of the base shank 130. The wheel tips 140 may be arranged in a circumferential line of the base shank 130 with a uniform gap between the wheel tips, but the present inventive concept is not limited thereto. Each of the wheel tips 140 may include a porous member, a plurality of abrasives in the porous member, and a bond that bonds the abrasives to the porous member. For example, the abrasives may include a diamond, but the present inventive concept is not limited thereto.

The wheel tips 140 may be rotated together with the wheel 120 and the base shank 130 with respect to the vertical direction to grind a backside of the wafer. Because the wafer may be rotated with respect to the vertical direction by the chuck, the wheel tips 140 may be outwardly bent in a radial direction of the wafer by a rotary force of the wafer.

The support block 150 may be configured to support an outer side surface of each of the wheel tips 140. For example, the support block 150 may have an annular shape. The support block 150 may be positioned outside the wheel tips 140. The support block 150 may be fixed to the lower surface of the base shank 130 by the bolt T that is vertically and threadedly combined with the base shank 130. For example, an upper surface of the support block 150 may make contact with the lower surface of the base shank 130. For example, an outer side surface of the support block 150 may be substantially coplanar with the outer side surface of the base shank 130, but the present inventive concept is not limited thereto. As another example, the outer side surface of the support block 150 may be substantially coplanar with the outer side surface of the wheel 120.

An inner side surface of the support block 150 may make contact with the outer side surface of the wheel tip 140 to support the wheel tip 140. Thus, the support block 150 may prevent the wheel tips 140 from being outwardly bent in the radial direction of the wafer.

According to example embodiments of the present inventive concept, the support block 150 may prevent the bending of the wheel tips 140 so that the wheel tips 140 may be provided with a relatively long length. Thus, a lower surface of the support block 150 may be positioned higher than a lower end of each of the wheel tips 140. For example, the lower end of each of the wheel tips 140 may be downwardly protruded from the lower surface of the support block 150. For example, a portion of the wheel tips 140 might not be covered by the support block 150.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a grinding wheel in accordance with example embodiments of the present inventive concept. FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the grinding wheel in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the grinding wheel in FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion “B” in FIG. 7.

A grinding wheel 100a according to example embodiments of the present inventive concept may include elements that are substantially the same as those of the grinding wheel 100 in FIG. 1 except for a support block. Thus, the same reference numerals may refer to the same elements and any further illustrations with respect to the same elements may be omitted herein for brevity.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 8, a support block 150 according to example embodiments of the present inventive concept may further include an auxiliary support block 152. The auxiliary support block 152 may be formed on the outer side surface of the support block 150. For example, the auxiliary support block 152 and the support block 150 may be a single body; however, the present inventive concept is not limited thereto. Further, the auxiliary support block 152 may have an inner side surface that is disposed on the outer side surface of the base shank 130. For example, the inner side surface of the auxiliary support block 152 may contact the outer side surface of the base shank 130. The auxiliary support block 152 may be fixed to the outer side surface of the base shank 130 by a horizontal bolt T. Thus, the upper surface of the support block 150 may be disposed on (e.g., make contact with) the lower surface of the base shank 130, but the upper surface of the support block 150 is not fixed to the lower surface of the base shank 130.

According to example embodiments of the present inventive concept, the auxiliary support block 152 may horizontally support the support block 150 in a central portion of the wafer so that the wheel tips 140 may be more firmly supported by the support block 150 and the auxiliary support block 152. Thus, the bending of the wheel tips 140 may be prevented.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a grinding wheel in accordance with example embodiments of the present inventive concept, and FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the grinding wheel in FIG. 9 and FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion “C” in FIG. 10.

A grinding wheel 100b according to example embodiments of the present inventive concept may include elements substantially the same as those of the grinding wheel 100 in FIG. 1 except for further including a control module. Thus, the same reference numerals may refer to the same elements and any further illustrations with respect to the same elements may be omitted herein for brevity.

Referring to FIGS. 9 to 11, a grinding wheel 100b according to example embodiments of the present inventive concept may further include a control module 200. The control module 200 may control a position of the support block 150.

In example embodiments of the present inventive concept, the upper surface of the support block 150 may be spaced apart from the lower surface of the base shank 130 to form a space between the upper surface of the support block 150 and the lower surface of the base shank 130. Further, a lift block 154 may be extended from the upper surface of the support block 150. The lift block 154 may be extended from the upper surface of the support block 150 and through the space, which is between the upper surface of the support block 150 and the lower surface of the base shank 130, in the radial direction of the wafer. Thus, the lift block 154 may be spaced apart from the lower surface of the base shank 130. For example, the support block 150 and the lift block 154 might not be fixed to the base shank 130 so that the support block 150 and the lift block 154 may be floated or moved in the space. For example, a lower end of the inner side surface of the support block 150 may have a rounded shape. As another example, the support block 150 may include a first inner side surface that is slanted with respect to a second inner side surface of the support block 150.

In example embodiments of the present inventive concept, the lift block 154 and support block 150 may be integrally formed together to be a single body. For example, the lift block 154 may be substantially perpendicular to the support block 150.

The control module 200 may control positions of the support block 150 and the lift block 154 in the space. The control module 200 may include a resilient member 210, a control block 220 and an air line 230.

The resilient member 210 may be configured to movably connect the support block 150, particularly, the lift block 154 with the lower surface of the base shank 130 in the vertical direction. For example, an upper end of the resilient member 210 may be connected to the lower surface of the base shank 130. A lower end of the resilient member 210 may be fixed to an upper surface of the lift block 154. The resilient member 210 may resiliently support the lift block 154 in a downward direction. In example embodiments of the present inventive concept, the resilient member 210 may include a spring, but the present inventive concept is not limited thereto.

The control block 220 may form an air chamber 240 together with the support block 150 and the lift block 154. For example, the control block 220 may include a vertical block 222 and a horizontal block 224. The vertical block 222 may be arranged on the outer side surfaces of the wheel 120 and the base shank 130. The vertical block 222 may be fixed to the outer side surface of the wheel 120 by using a horizontal bolt T, but the present inventive concept is not limited thereto. For example, the vertical block 222 may be fixed to the outer side surface of the base shank 130. The outer side surface of the lift block 154 may make contact with the inner side surface of the vertical block 222. Further, the vertical block 222 may have a lower surface lower than the lower surface of the base shank 130. The horizontal block 224 may be extended from the lower end of the vertical block 222 toward the support block 150. For example, the horizontal block 224 and the vertical block 222 may be a single body. An inner end of the horizontal block 224 may make contact with the outer side surface of the support block 150. Thus, the inner side surface of the vertical block 222, the upper surface of the horizontal block 224, the outer side surface of the support block 150 and the lower surface of the lift block 154 may define the air chamber 240.

The air line 230 may supply air into the air chamber 240. Thus, a pneumatic pressure may be formed in the air chamber 240. The air line 230 may be extended into the control block 220. For example, the air line 230 may be extended from the vertical block 222 and through the horizontal block 224. The air line 230 may be connected to the air chamber 240.

When the pneumatic pressure in the air chamber 240 is lower than a resilient force of the resilient member 210, the lift block 240 may be downwardly moved. Thus, the support block 150 may be downwardly moved together with the lift block 154. In addition, when the pneumatic pressure in the air chamber 240 is higher than the resilient force of the resilient member 210, the lift block 240 may be upwardly moved. Thus, the support block 150 may be upwardly moved together with the lift block 154.

That is, the position of the support block 150 may be controlled by changing the pneumatic pressure in the air chamber 240. Thus, the support block 150 may be positioned at a height for firmly supporting the wheel tips 140 in accordance with the lengths of the wheel tips 140.

According to example embodiments of the present inventive concept, the support block may support the outer side surfaces of the wheel tips to prevent the wheel tips from being outwardly bent by a rotary force of the wafer. Thus, the wheel tips may be provided with a relatively long length to extend life spans of the wheel tips. As a result, an exchange period of the wheel may also be extended.

The foregoing is illustrative of example embodiments of the present inventive concept and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although a few example embodiments have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications and various changes in form and details are possible in the example embodiments of the present inventive concept without departing from the spirit and scope of the present inventive concept. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present inventive concept. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of various example embodiments of the present inventive concept and is not to be construed as limited to the specific example embodiments disclosed herein, and that modifications to the disclosed example embodiments of the present inventive concept, as well as other example embodiments of the present inventive concept, are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A grinding wheel comprising: a wheel body positioned over a wafer;a plurality of wheel tips disposed on the wheel body; anda support block disposed on the wheel body and an outer side surface of each of the wheel tips.

2. The grinding wheel of claim 1, wherein the support block has a lower surface that is higher than a lower end of each of the wheel tips.

3. The grinding wheel of claim 1, wherein the support block has an inner side surface that makes contact with the outer side surface of each of the wheel tips.

4. The grinding wheel of claim 3, wherein the support block has an upper surface that makes contact with a lower surface of the wheel body.

5. The grinding wheel of claim 4, wherein the upper surface of the support block is fixed to the lower surface of the wheel body.

6. The grinding wheel of claim 3, wherein the support block further comprises an auxiliary support block that makes contact with an outer side surface of the wheel body.

7. The grinding wheel of claim 6, wherein the auxiliary support block is fixed to the outer side surface of the wheel body.

8. The grinding wheel of claim 1, further comprising a control module that controls a position of the support block.

9. The grinding wheel of claim 8, wherein the control module comprises: a resilient member that movably connects the support block with the wheel body;a control block that forms an air chamber between the control block and the support block; andan air line formed in the control block to selectively supply air to the air chamber.

10. The grinding wheel of claim 9, wherein the support block further comprises a lift block that is connected to the resilient member.

11. The grinding wheel of claim 10, wherein the control block comprises: a vertical block arranged on a side surface of the support block; anda horizontal block extended from a lower end of the vertical block toward the support block,wherein the support block, the lift block, the vertical block and the horizontal block form the air chamber.

12. The grinding wheel of claim 11, wherein the air line is extended through the vertical block and the horizontal block to the air chamber.

13. The grinding wheel of claim 1, wherein the wheel body comprises: a wheel arranged over the wafer; anda base shank arranged on an edge portion of a lower surface of the wheel, wherein the wheel tips are disposed on the base shank.

14. A grinding wheel comprising: a wheel arranged over a wafer;a base shank arranged on an edge portion of a first surface of the wheel;a plurality of wheel tips arranged on a first surface of the base shank; anda support block disposed on the base shank and an outer side surface of each of the wheel tips,wherein the support block has a first surface that is higher than a first end of each of the wheel tips.

15. The grinding wheel of claim 14, wherein a second surface of the support block is fixed to the first surface of the base shank.

16. The grinding wheel of claim 14, wherein the support block further comprises an auxiliary support block that is fixed to an outer side surface of the base shank.

17. A grinding wheel comprising: a wheel arranged over a wafer;a base shank arranged on an edge portion of a lower surface of the wheel;a plurality of wheel tips arranged on a lower surface of the base shank;a support block disposed on the base shank and an outer side surface of each of the wheel tips; anda control module that controls a position of the support block.

18. The grinding wheel of claim 17, wherein the control module comprises: a resilient member that movably connects the support block with the base shank;a control block that forms an air chamber between the control block and the support block; andan air line formed in the control block to selectively supply air to the air chamber.

19. The grinding wheel of claim 18, wherein the support block further comprises a lift block that is connected to the resilient member.

20. The grinding wheel of claim 19, wherein the control block comprises: a vertical block arranged on a side surface of the support block; anda horizontal block extended from a lower end of the vertical block toward the support block,wherein the support block, the lift block, the vertical block and the horizontal block form the air chamber, andwherein the air line is extended through the vertical block and the horizontal block to the air chamber.