JP2002134025A - Lighting inspection device for plasma display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten the model switching time with a lighting inspection device for a plasma display panel(PDP). SOLUTION: The lighting inspection device for a PDP comprises a panel inspection head comprising a panel set part and a panel driving circuit 6, a power source, which supplies a power to the driving circuit 6, a signal generating device which supplies a signal to the driving circuit 6, and a control device which controls the power source and the signal generating device. The panel set comprises a module plate 7 to which the driving circuit 6 is fitted, a FPC 5 which transmits the output signal of the driving circuit 6 to the PDP, a clamp unit 2 which connects an electrode terminal of PDP to the connection terminal of FPC circuit 5 for fixing the PDP, a clamp base 3 comprising a rotation mechanism, and a clamp base support 4. The PDP model switching time is shortened by rotating the clamp base 3 by 180 deg..

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a lighting inspection apparatus for a plasma display panel (hereinafter, referred to as PDP).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the manufacturing process of a PDP, it is necessary to turn on each element constituting the PDP and to check whether each element operates normally. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a conventional PDP lighting inspection apparatus. The PDP lighting inspection apparatus includes a panel inspection head 51 including a panel setting section 61 and a driving circuit 56 for driving the PDP set in the panel setting section 61; a power supply 58 for supplying power to the driving circuit 56; , A signal generator 59 for supplying a signal to the drive circuit 56, and a controller 60 such as a personal computer for controlling the power supply 58 and the signal generator 59.

Conventionally, a probe pin has been used for the panel inspection head 51. The probe is pressed against a large number of microelectrodes formed on the edge of the glass constituting the PDP by using a plurality of springs, and electricity is supplied. However, the probe pin is expensive, and pressing the probe pin against the electrode scratches the electrode surface,
There is a fear that a problem may occur when a driving IC or the like is mounted on the electrode after the lighting inspection.

To solve such a problem, PDP
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-302640 proposes a method in which an electrode formed on a flexible printed circuit (FPC) used as an extraction electrode of a PDP is used as a contact (probe) for lighting inspection in place of the lighting inspection probe pin. ing.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a panel inspection head of this PDP lighting inspection apparatus. FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line AA ′ of FIG.
It is sectional drawing along the line. The panel inspection head 51 is
A driving circuit 56 for driving the DP 100, a module plate 57 for mounting the driving circuit 56, an FPC 55 having connection terminals for transmitting an output signal of the driving circuit 56 to the PDP 100, and a connection between electrode terminals formed on the PDP 100 and the FPC 55. Clamp unit 5 for connecting terminals
2, a clamp base 53 to which the clamp unit 52 is attached, and a clamp base support 54 that supports the clamp base 53.

In this configuration, the clamp unit 52
Since the electrode terminal of the PDP 100 is connected to the connection terminal of the FPC 55, the positioning accuracy of the clamp unit 52 is required to be high.

[0007]

When the type switching (inspection of another type) is performed by the PDP lighting inspection device, the driving circuit 5
6, the module plate 57, the FPC 55, and the clamp unit 52 need to be replaced. At this time, since it is necessary to position about 30 clamp units with an accuracy of 50 μm or less, it takes 2 to 3 hours to switch and adjust the type.

[0008] Further, in the case of the type switching with different panel sizes, it is necessary to shift the position of the clamp base 53 which is 100 to 200 kg, and it takes another two to two hours for the type switching. there were. Further, since the lighting inspection device of the PDP becomes larger in proportion to the panel size in terms of structure, there is a problem that the floor space occupancy becomes higher when a single-type dedicated device is used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to provide a PD capable of easily changing types with different panel sizes.
An object of the present invention is to provide a lighting inspection device for P, in particular, a panel inspection head.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided P
A lighting inspection apparatus for a DP, a panel inspection head including a panel set unit and a drive circuit for driving a plasma display panel set in the panel set unit; a power supply for supplying power to the drive circuit; A signal generator for supplying a signal to a drive circuit; and a control device for controlling the power supply and the signal generator. The panel set unit includes a module plate on which the drive circuit is mounted, and a connection terminal. A flexible printed circuit that transmits an output signal of the circuit to the plasma display panel; and a clamp unit that connects the electrode terminals formed on the plasma display panel to the connection terminals of the flexible printed circuit and fixes the plasma display panel. And a rotation mechanism,
A clamp base for mounting the clamp unit,
And a clamp base support for supporting the clamp base.

The clamp base has a rotation axis parallel to each side of the plasma display panel set in the panel set portion and is rotatable, and two or more clamp units are provided on a surface of the clamp base. The time required to switch to a product of the same size can be reduced.

In the lighting inspection apparatus for a PDP having the above-mentioned structure according to the present invention, the clamp base support may be provided with a telescopic mechanism. The expansion / contraction mechanism allows the clamp base to be moved in a horizontal, vertical, or oblique direction, so that model switching can be performed in a short time, even when the panel size is different.

[0013]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a lighting inspection apparatus for a PDP according to the present invention. The lighting inspection apparatus for a PDP according to the present invention includes a panel set section 20 and a panel set section 20.
A panel inspection head 1 having a drive circuit 6 for driving a PDP set in the power supply, a power supply 8 for supplying power to the drive circuit 6, a signal generator 9 for supplying a signal to the drive circuit 6, and a power supply. And a control device 10 such as a personal computer for controlling the signal generator 8 and the signal generator 9.

FIG. 2 shows a PD according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing a structure of a panel inspection head of the lighting inspection device of P, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ of FIG.

The panel inspection head 1 of the present embodiment has a P
A drive circuit 6 for driving the DP 100, a module plate 7 for mounting the drive circuit 6, a connection terminal (not shown), and an FPC (flexible printed circuit) 5 for transmitting an output signal of the drive circuit 6 to the PDP 100; P
Clamp unit 2 for connecting an electrode terminal (not shown) formed on DP 100 to a connection terminal of FPC 5
And a clamp base 3 for mounting the clamp unit 2
And a clamp base support 4 for supporting the clamp base 3
And

This configuration is characterized in that the clamp base 3 has a rotating mechanism, and two sets of the clamp units 2 are mounted on the front and back.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. When switching to inspection of the same panel size with the PDP lighting inspection device, it is necessary to replace the drive circuit 6, the module plate 7, the FPC 5, and the clamp unit 2. For the replacement of the clamp unit 2, the clamp base 3 has a rotation axis parallel to the side of the PDP 100, and two clamp units 2 are provided in the direction of 180 ° with respect to the rotation axis. By rotating the clamp unit 2 by 180 °, the clamp unit 2 can be replaced in a short time.

In the above description, the clamp units 2 are attached to the clamp base 3 one by one on the front and back sides, but three clamp units 2 are provided in the direction of 120 ° with respect to the rotation axis of the clamp base 3. It is also possible to provide four clamp units 2 in the 90 ° direction with respect to the rotation axis. The angle between the clamp unit 2 and the rotation axis of the clamp base 3 is not necessarily 180 °, 12 °.
It is not necessary to set the angle to 0 ° or 90 °, and the clamp unit 2 can be freely selected within a range where the clamp unit 2 does not contact the drive circuit 6 or the module plate 7.

Next, a lighting inspection apparatus for a PDP according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a front view showing a structure of a panel inspection head of a lighting inspection apparatus for a PDP according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

The configuration of the PDP lighting inspection apparatus of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, except that the clamp base 3 is provided with an extensible clamp base support 4 in addition to a rotating mechanism. In contrast, it is possible to move horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

That is, the panel inspection head of the PDP lighting inspection apparatus of the present embodiment has a drive circuit 6 (not shown) for driving the PDP 100 and a module plate 7 (not shown) for mounting the drive circuit 6. And a connection terminal (not shown).
FPC5 (not shown) to be transmitted to DP100,
Electrode terminals formed on PDP 100 (not shown)
Unit 2 for connecting FPC5 to the connection terminal of FPC5
And a clamp base 3 for mounting the clamp unit 2
And a clamp base support 4 for supporting the clamp base 3
The main feature of the clamp base 3 is that it has a function of being able to move horizontally, vertically or obliquely with respect to the PDP by means of a stretchable clamp base support 4 in addition to the rotating mechanism.

In the PDP lighting inspection apparatus of the present embodiment, when switching to inspection of a type having a different panel size, similarly to the first embodiment, the drive circuit 6, the module plate 7, the FPC 5, the clamp unit, and the like. In addition to replacing the clamp 2, it is necessary to shift the position of the clamp base 3, which is a heavy object.

FIG. 4 shows an example in which the panel size is small, in which the right clamp base 3 is moved obliquely to the lower left and the upper clamp base 3 is moved downward according to the panel size. ing.

In order to shift the position of the clamp base 3, which is a heavy object, only by expanding and contracting the clamp base support, the switching time to a product having a different panel size can be greatly reduced.

FIG. 4 shows an example in which the two clamp bases 3 on the right side and the upper side are moved, but it is also possible to move three or all the clamp bases 3.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the clamp base of the panel inspection head is rotatable, and a plurality of clamp units are provided on the surface of the clamp base at a predetermined angle with respect to the rotation axis of the clamp base. Install it,
Since the clamp unit can be replaced in a short time only by rotating the clamp base, the effect of greatly reducing the switching time to a product having the same panel size can be obtained.

In particular, the present invention has a great effect in shortening the type switching time when the type switching such as multi-product small-quantity production is frequently performed. Furthermore, compared to a single product dedicated device,
Floor efficiency can be improved because a plurality of units can be shared.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a lighting inspection device for a PDP of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a structure of a panel inspection head of the lighting inspection apparatus for a PDP according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A 'of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a structure of a panel inspection head of a lighting inspection apparatus for a PDP according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a conventional PDP lighting inspection apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a structure of a panel inspection head of a conventional PDP lighting inspection apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A 'of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,51 Panel inspection head 2,52 Clamp unit 3,53 Clamp base 4,54 Clamp base support 5,55 FPC 6,56 Driving circuit 7,57 Module plate 8,58 Power supply 9,59 Signal generator 10,60 Control unit 20, 61 Panel set unit

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A panel inspection head including a panel set section and a drive circuit for driving a plasma display panel set in the panel set section, a power supply for supplying power to the drive circuit, and the drive circuit A signal generator for supplying a signal to the power supply and a controller for controlling the signal generator, the panel set unit includes a module plate for mounting the drive circuit, and a connection terminal, A flexible printed circuit that transmits an output signal to the plasma display panel, and a clamp unit that connects the electrode terminals formed on the plasma display panel and the connection terminals of the flexible printed circuit and fixes the plasma display panel. Clamp base with a rotating mechanism with A lighting inspection device for a plasma display panel, comprising: a clamp base support that supports the clamp base. 2. The plasma display panel set in the panel set portion, wherein the clamp base is disposed in parallel with each side of the plasma display panel, and has a rotation axis parallel to each side. Lighting inspection equipment for plasma display panels. 3. The lighting inspection apparatus for a plasma display panel according to claim 2, wherein two of said clamp units are provided in a direction of 180 ° with respect to said rotation axis on a surface of said clamp base. 4. The lighting inspection device for a plasma display panel according to claim 2, wherein three clamp units are provided on the surface of the clamp base in a direction of 120 ° with respect to the rotation axis. 5. The lighting inspection apparatus for a plasma display panel according to claim 2, wherein four clamp units are provided on the surface of the clamp base in a direction of 90 ° with respect to the rotation axis. 6. The lighting inspection apparatus for a plasma display panel according to claim 1, wherein the clamp base support has an expansion / contraction mechanism. 7. The lighting inspection apparatus for a plasma display panel according to claim 6, wherein the contraction mechanism has a function of expanding and contracting the clamp base in a horizontal, vertical, or oblique direction.