JP2004108921A - Inspection device for substrate to be inspected - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a substrate to be inspected from being dislocated from an inspection stage by inertia force even if the substrate to be inspected is displaced at high speed. <P>SOLUTION: In the inspection device for a substrate to be inspected, the substrate to be inspected received by the inspection stage is pressed to the inspection stage by a pressing member for pressing the substrate while the inspection stage is displaced from a first position where at least the substrate to be inspected is received to a second position where the substrate to be inspected is inspected. The pressing member is retreated to the outside of an arrangement area of the substrate to be inspected by releasing the pressing of the substrate to be inspected by the pressing member after the inspection stage is displaced to the second position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus for conducting a current test on a substrate to be inspected such as a liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, a display substrate such as a liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL having a rectangular side is subjected to a visual lighting test or an automatic lighting test for an energization test to determine whether or not it has been manufactured according to specifications.
[0003]
There are two types of lighting inspection devices: one in which the display substrate as the substrate to be inspected is kept horizontal, and the other in which the substrate to be inspected is inclined. In particular, in the visual lighting inspection, an apparatus that inspects a substrate to be inspected in an inclined state is preferred because it facilitates checking of quality.
[0004]
In view of the above points, the inventors of the present invention attach and detach the substrate to be inspected to and from the inspection stage in a horizontal state, and tilt the inspection stage to allow the substrate to be inspected to be detached from the inspection stage. The invention was made in which the inspection was performed in a tilted state (see Patent Document 1).
[0005]
In this inspection apparatus, the substrate to be inspected is placed horizontally on an inspection stage, the substrate to be inspected is sucked into suction grooves provided in the inspection stage, the substrate to be inspected is maintained on the inspection stage, and the inspection stage is tilted. Then, the substrate to be inspected is placed in an oblique state. In this type of inspection apparatus, it is desired to increase the speed of inspection in order to increase productivity. For this purpose, it is essential to displace the inspection stage between a horizontal state and an inclined state at a high speed.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-96596
[Problem to be solved]
However, in the above-described inspection apparatus, when the inspection stage is displaced from the horizontal state to the inclined state at a high speed, the suction force of the inspection target substrate by the suction groove is small. Then, the substrate to be inspected may come off the inspection stage due to the inertial force generated in the substrate to be inspected itself, and it is difficult to shorten the entire inspection time.
[0008]
An object of the present invention is to prevent a substrate to be inspected from being detached from an inspection stage due to its inertial force even when the substrate to be inspected is displaced at a high speed.
[0009]
[Solutions, actions, and effects]
The inspection apparatus for a substrate to be inspected according to the present invention selectively selects a first position for receiving the substrate to be inspected and a second position for inspecting the substrate to be inspected, the second position being different from the first position. A test stage that can be displaced to a predetermined position, and one or more substrate holders disposed on the test stage to releasably press the substrate to be tested received by the test stage against the test stage. The substrate presser presses a substrate to be inspected against the inspection stage while the inspection stage is displaced at least from the first position to the second position, and the inspection stage is displaced to the second position. A pressing member is provided which releases the pressing of the substrate to be inspected to the inspection stage later and is evacuated outside the area where the substrate to be inspected is arranged.
[0010]
The inspection stage receives the substrate to be inspected at the first position, is then displaced to the second position, is inspected at the second position, and is again displaced to the first position.
[0011]
While the inspection stage is displaced from the first position to the second position, the substrate to be inspected disposed on the inspection stage is pressed by the inspection stage by the pressing member of the substrate holder and is immovable. Thus, even when the inspection stage is displaced from the first position to the second position at a high speed, the substrate to be inspected does not come off the inspection stage during the displacement and immediately thereafter. As a result, the displacement speed of the inspection stage can be increased, and the time required for inspecting one inspection object can be reduced.
[0012]
In addition to the pressing member, the substrate press is further provided with a support base disposed on the inspection stage and an interval in one of first and second directions parallel to and intersecting with the support base. A plurality of link arms supported by the support base so as to be swingable around an axis extending in the other of the first and second directions, and the pressing member is configured to move the holding member in the other of the first and second directions; A plurality of link arms pivotally supported around an axis extending to, a pressing position where the pressing member presses the substrate to be inspected against an inspection stage, and a retracting position where the pressing member retracts out of the arrangement area of the substrate to be inspected. And driving means for selectively displacing the driving means. By doing so, the structure of the substrate holder is simplified and the size is reduced. As a result, the inertia force of the entire substrate holder is reduced, and the displacement time of the inspection stage can be shortened accordingly.
[0013]
The first position of the inspection stage may be a position that is angularly displaced relative to the second position about an axis extending in one of the first and second directions.
[0014]
The inspection stage may be horizontal at the first position and inclined at the second position. By doing so, the substrate to be inspected can be attached to and detached from the inspection stage when the inspection stage is horizontal, and the substrate to be inspected can be inspected when the inspection stage is inclined. Despite the ease of attachment and detachment, visual inspection can be performed in a state where inspection is easy, and inspection efficiency is improved.
[0015]
The inspection stage has a rectangular shape in plan view to receive the rectangular substrate to be inspected, and a plurality of substrate holders are provided so as to individually press a plurality of corners of the substrate to be inspected. You may. By doing so, the substrate to be inspected can be reliably pressed against the inspection stage.
[0016]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 1, an inspection device 10 is used as a visual lighting inspection device using a rectangular liquid crystal display panel as a substrate 12 to be inspected. In FIG. 1, the direction perpendicular to the paper surface is the left-right direction of the inspection device (X direction), the right side is the front side of the inspection device, the left side is the rear side of the inspection device, and the left-right direction is the front-rear direction of the inspection device (Y direction). , The vertical direction is the vertical direction (Z direction) of the inspection apparatus.
[0017]
The inspection apparatus 10 is angled to the support 16 by a plate-like support 14 horizontally installed on a frame (not shown), a support 16 extending upward from the support 14, and a support shaft 18 extending horizontally in the left-right direction. It includes an inspection stage 20 rotatably supported, and a drive mechanism 22 for swinging the inspection stage 20 around the axis of the support shaft 18.
[0018]
The inspection stage 20 is angularly rotated around the axis of the support shaft 18 by the driving mechanism 22 to receive the first horizontal position at which the substrate to be inspected 12 is attached to and detached from the inspection stage 20 in a horizontal state. The substrate to be inspected 12 is selectively displaced to an inclined second position for inspection in an inclined state.
[0019]
The drive mechanism 22 causes the inspection stage 20 to reciprocately rotate the inspection gear 20, a fan-shaped driven gear 24 formed in a substantially quarter disk centered on the support shaft 18, a drive gear 26 meshing with the driven gear 24, and the drive gear 26. And a drive mechanism 28.
[0020]
The driven gear 24 is supported by the support shaft 18. The drive gear 26 is rotatably supported by a bracket 30 mounted on the support 14 about an axis extending in the left-right direction. The drive mechanism 28 is mounted on the support 14 and includes a drive source such as an electric motor or a rotary solenoid.
[0021]
The inspection stage 20 includes a plate-like base 32 mounted on the driven gear 24, a support stage 34 mounted on the base 32, and a chuck mounted on the support stage 34 and containing the backlight unit. And a top 36.
[0022]
The support stage 34 moves the chuck top 36 in the left-right direction and the front-back direction, and rotates the chuck top 36 angularly around a θ-axis line extending in the vertical direction (perpendicular to the received substrate). It is configured.
[0023]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the chuck top 36 has a rectangular frame 40 in which an upper lid 38 is attached to a case (not shown) containing a backlight unit, and the inspection target substrate 12 is received on the upper lid 38. Is detachably attached.
[0024]
The upper lid 38 has a rectangular shape larger than the substrate to be inspected 12, and a rectangular region slightly smaller than the received substrate to be inspected 12 is a display region 42 that allows light from the backlight unit to pass therethrough. The outside is the suction area 44.
[0025]
The upper lid 38 also has a through hole 46 for a bolt to be attached to a case (not shown) accommodating the backlight unit at each corner, and a positioning hole 48 near the center of each of the opposing longitudinal sides. Each has.
[0026]
The upper lid 38 is assembled to the case with bolts (not shown) passed through the through-holes 46 while receiving positioning pins (not shown) extending upward from a case (not shown) in the positioning holes 48.
[0027]
The frame 40 has one or more suction grooves 50 (see FIG. 4B) for vacuum suction of the suction area 44 of the inspection target substrate 12 at each edge corresponding to four sides of a rectangle. The frame 40 is detachably attached to the upper lid 38 by a plurality of screw members (not shown).
[0028]
The inspection stage 20 is displaced and maintained at the first position shown in FIG. 1A when the substrate to be inspected 12 is attached to or detached from the frame 40, and when the inspection of the substrate to be inspected 12 is performed, the inspection stage 20 shown in FIG. 2 and is maintained displaced.
[0029]
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, on the upper surface of the upper lid 38, two sets of stoppers 52 that receive adjacent edges of the board under test 12, and a plurality of pushers that press the board 12 to be tested against the set of stoppers 52. 54 and four substrate holders 56 are arranged.
[0030]
In the illustrated example, two stoppers 52 are provided at positions corresponding to a pair of adjacent long sides and short sides of a rectangle at intervals in the direction of the long sides and short sides. Also, two pushers 54 are provided at locations corresponding to the other long sides at intervals in the direction of the other long side, and one pusher 54 is provided at a location corresponding to the other short side. Near the center.
[0031]
The stoppers 52 in each set are spaced in the direction of the corresponding edge so that the corresponding edge of the substrate under test 12 abuts.
[0032]
Each pusher 54 has a pressing member 60 attached to a mover such as a rod of a driving mechanism 58 such as an air cylinder or a solenoid, and pushes the pressing member 60 forward by the extension of the driving mechanism 58 to press the substrate 12 to be inspected. The driving mechanism 58 is attached to the upper lid 38 so that the member 60 pushes against the stopper 52 and the pressing mechanism 60 is retracted by contraction of the driving mechanism 58.
[0033]
The frame 40 has a plurality of cutouts that are open to the outside while leaving the suction area 44 of the inspection target substrate 12 at the positions where the stopper 52 and the pressing member 60 are arranged.
[0034]
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each substrate holder 56 is supported by a pair of support bases 62 attached to the upper lid 38 and swingably at intervals in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction. Two sets of link arms 64, a plate-like pressing member 66 supported by the two sets of link arms 64 so as to be angularly rotatable (swingable) around an axis extending in the left-right direction or the front-back direction, and the link arm And a drive mechanism 68 that swings the drive mechanism 64.
[0035]
The upper ends of the stopper 52 and the pressing member 60 are higher than the lower surface of the substrate 12 received by the inspection stage 20 and lower than the height of the upper surface of the substrate 12.
[0036]
Both support bases 62 are spaced apart in the left-right direction. Each set of link arms 64 extends in the up-down direction at an interval in the front-rear direction, and is attached to the two support bases 62 at the lower ends at the lower ends so as to be angularly rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right direction.
[0037]
The holding member 66 is attached to the link arm 64 so as to be able to swing (displace) in a state (horizontal state) parallel to the received substrate to be inspected 12. As the pressing member 66, for example, a pressing pad in which an elastic plate such as a rubber plate is attached to a plate member such as a metal plate is used, and the link arm 64 is attached to the link arm 64 so that the elastic plate abuts on the substrate 12 to be inspected. Installed.
[0038]
In the illustrated example, the drive mechanism 68 uses an air cylinder that expands and contracts in the front-rear direction. The drive mechanism 68 is pivotally connected to the link arm 64 at the distal end of the piston rod, and is pivotally connected to the column 70 at the cylinder. ing. Instead of the air cylinder, another mechanism such as a solenoid or a linear motor may be used as the drive mechanism 68, or another mechanism such as a mechanism using a rotation source, a rack and a pinion.
[0039]
Each substrate holder 56 is installed on the upper lid 38 so that a corner of the substrate 12 to be inspected is pressed by the holder 66. Instead of using the four substrate holders 56, one or two of the inspected substrates 12 may be used so as to hold the edge of the inspection substrate 20 farther from the center of swing of the inspection stage 20.
[0040]
In each set of link arms 64, a parallel link mechanism for swingably supporting the holding member 66 in a state parallel to the substrate 12 to be inspected is formed in cooperation with the support base 62 and the holding member 66. The number of the link arms 64 is not limited to four as long as the link members 64 can swingably support the pressing member 66 in a state parallel to the substrate 12 to be inspected.
[0041]
Each of the substrate holders 56 is, when viewed in a plane, retracted as shown in FIG. 5A outside the arrangement region of the substrate 12 to be inspected received by the inspection stage 20 due to the expansion and contraction of the drive mechanism 68. The position and the pressing position shown in FIG. 5B for pressing the corner of the substrate 12 to be inspected against the inspection stage 20 are displaced.
[0042]
The inspection apparatus 10 measures the substrate to be inspected 12 in the following procedure.
[0043]
As shown in FIG. 1A, the inspection apparatus 10 controls the inspection stage 20 horizontally by a driving mechanism 22. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5A, each substrate holder 56 has the holding member 66 retracted to the retracted position. Further, the pusher 54 moves the pressing member 60 backward.
[0044]
In this state, the substrate to be inspected 12 is transported to the inspection stage 20 by the transfer robot, and placed on the inspection stage 20. At this time, the inspection target substrate 12 is placed on the frame 40 so as not to run on the stopper 52.
[0045]
Next, the driving mechanism 58 of each pusher 54 advances the pressing member 60. Thus, the substrate to be inspected 12 is positioned with respect to the inspection stage 20 with the adjacent edges abutting on the stopper 52.
[0046]
Next, the suction groove 50 is evacuated, and the inspection target substrate 12 is sucked to the inspection stage 20.
[0047]
Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, the pressing member 66 of each substrate pressing member 56 is displaced to the pressing position by the driving mechanism 68, so that the corner of the upper surface (the surface to be viewed) of the inspected substrate 12 is not damaged. Press to the extent. Thus, the inspection target substrate 12 is reliably held on the inspection stage 20 because the suction force of the suction groove 50 and the pressing force of the substrate presser 56 act in a superimposed manner.
[0048]
Next, as shown in FIG. 1B, the inspection stage 20 is displaced to the second position and tilted. Thereby, the substrate to be inspected 12 is also inclined. At this time, the substrate to be inspected 12 tends to be displaced to the right (the front side of the inspection device) in FIG. However, this displacement is prevented because the substrate to be inspected 12 is pressed against the inspection stage 20 by the substrate retainer 56.
[0049]
Next, alignment between the substrate to be inspected 12 and a probe unit (not shown) is performed. This alignment can be performed by displacing the inspection stage 20 two-dimensionally in the X and Y directions by the support stage 34 and rotating the inspection stage 20 angularly around the θ axis. The probe unit is disposed obliquely on the upper right side of the substrate to be inspected 12 in FIG.
[0050]
Next, the pressing member 66 of the substrate pressing 56 is returned to the standby position shown in FIG. However, the inspection target substrate 12 is not displaced with respect to the inspection stage 20 because it is sucked by the suction groove 50 and is held between the stopper 52 and the pressing member 60.
[0051]
Thereafter, the probe unit is moved obliquely downward toward the substrate to be inspected 12, and the probes of the probe unit are pressed against the electrodes of the substrate to be inspected 12. At this time, since the pressing member 66 is retracted to the standby position, the probe of the probe unit is reliably pressed by the electrode of the substrate to be inspected 12, and the substrate pressing 56 does not hinder the movement of the probe unit.
[0052]
In the above state, the backlight unit is turned on and the board under test 12 is energized, and the lighting state of the board to be tested 12 is visually observed to perform a visual lighting test for determining the quality of the board 12 to be tested.
[0053]
The visual lighting inspection is performed in a state where the substrate to be inspected 12 is inclined as shown in FIG. For this reason, it is easier to check the quality of the substrate to be inspected 12 as compared with an apparatus that performs a visual lighting inspection in a state where the substrate to be inspected is horizontal.
[0054]
When the inspection is completed, the substrate is moved obliquely upward with respect to the substrate to be inspected 12 and separated from the substrate to be inspected 12, and the inspection stage 20 is returned to the original first position as shown in FIG. While returning the inspection stage 20 to the first position, the inspection target substrate 12 may be pressed against the inspection stage 20 by the pressing member 66 of the substrate pressing member 56.
[0055]
Thereafter, the inspected substrate 12 that has been inspected is released from the suction by the suction groove and the nipping by the stopper 52 and the pressing member 60, and is removed from the inspection stage 20 by the transfer robot.
[0056]
In the inspection device 10, while the inspection stage 20 is displaced from the first position to the second position, the substrate 12 to be inspected on the inspection stage 20 is pressed by the inspection stage 20 by the holding member 66 and becomes immovable. Since the inspection stage 20 is maintained, even if the inspection stage 20 is displaced from the first position to the second position at a high speed, there is no possibility that the substrate to be inspected 12 comes off the inspection stage 20 during and immediately after the displacement. As a result, the displacement speed of the inspection stage 20 can be increased, and the time required for inspecting one inspection object can be reduced.
[0057]
The push of the inspection target substrate 12 by the pusher 54 is performed after the inspection target substrate 12 is sucked into the suction groove 50, after the inspection target substrate 12 is pressed by the pressing member 66, or after the inspection target substrate 12 is returned to the standby position. May be canceled at an appropriate time.
[0058]
The substrate to be inspected 12 may be another substrate to be inspected such as an organic EL instead of the liquid crystal display panel. Further, instead of performing the transfer of the substrate to be inspected 12 to the inspection stage 20 by the transfer robot, the inspection may be performed manually. Further, as a mechanism for selectively displacing the inspection stage to the first and second positions, instead of the illustrated example, a mechanism using a rotation source, a lead screw, a lead nut, a link, etc., a cylinder mechanism, a linear motor Other mechanisms, such as a linear motion mechanism, may be used.
[0059]
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1A and 1B are side views of an inspection apparatus for a substrate to be inspected according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1A shows a state in which the inspection stage is in a horizontal position, and FIG. 1B shows a state in which the inspection stage is in an inclined position. FIG.
FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of an inspection stage of the inspection apparatus shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the inspection stage shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the substrate holder shown in FIG. 2, wherein (A) is a plan view, (B) is a front view, and (C) is a side view.
5A and 5B are enlarged perspective views of the substrate retainer shown in FIG. 4, wherein FIG. 5A shows a state in which the substrate retainer is retracted to a standby position, and FIG. FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Inspection apparatus 12 Inspection board 20 Inspection stage 22 Inspection stage drive mechanism 32 Base 34 Support stage 36 Chuck top 62 Support base 64 Link arm 66 Holding member 68 Drive mechanism

Claims (5)

An inspection stage selectively displaceable to a first position for receiving the substrate to be inspected and a second position for inspecting the substrate to be inspected, the second position being different from the first position;
One or more substrate holders disposed on the inspection stage to releasably press the substrate to be inspected received by the inspection stage against the inspection stage,
The substrate presser presses a substrate to be inspected against the inspection stage while the inspection stage is displaced at least from the first position to the second position, and the inspection stage is displaced to the second position. An inspection apparatus for inspecting a substrate to be inspected, comprising: a pressing member which releases the pressing of the substrate to be inspected to the inspection stage later and is evacuated outside the arrangement area of the substrate to be inspected. The substrate holder further includes:
A support base arranged on the inspection stage,
A plurality of link arms spaced in one of first and second directions parallel to and intersecting with the support base and swinging about an axis extending in the other of the first and second directions; A plurality of link arms movably supported by the support base and pivotally supporting the holding member about an axis extending in the other of the first and second directions;
2. The driving device according to claim 1, further comprising a driving unit configured to selectively displace the pressing member between a pressing position where the pressing member presses the substrate to be inspected against an inspection stage and a retracting position where the pressing member retracts outside the area where the substrate to be inspected is disposed. Inspection equipment. 3. The inspection stage of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first position of the inspection stage is angularly displaced relative to the second position about an axis extending in one of the first and second directions. Inspection equipment. The inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the inspection stage is horizontal at the first position and is inclined at the second position. The inspection stage has a rectangular shape in plan view to receive the rectangular substrate to be inspected, and a plurality of the substrate holders are provided so as to individually press a plurality of corners of the substrate to be inspected. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

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