JP2004170235A - Lighting inspecting apparatus of display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lighting inspecting apparatus capable of faithfully reproducing display quality at product time and achieving a precise inspection. <P>SOLUTION: A lighting inspecting apparatus of display panel comprises panel lighting units 15, 16, where a plurality of probes 151, 161 electrically coming into contact with a lead-out electrode of a display panel 10 are provided corresponding to the electrode of the display panel 10; and connection units 17, 18 for pressing the probes 151, 161 of the panel lighting units 15, 16 against the electrode terminal block of the display panel 10 for allowing the extraction electrodes of the probes 151, 161 to come into contact with the lead-out electrode of the display panel 10. The panel lighting units 15, 16 and the connection units 17, 18 are made movable with respect to the display panel 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a lighting inspection apparatus for a display panel that inputs and displays a lighting signal on a display panel before assembling a driving circuit to a display panel such as a liquid crystal display or a plasma display and performs image quality inspection.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Generally, a display panel such as a liquid crystal display or a plasma display is commercialized with a driving circuit mounted on the panel. In the manufacturing process, in order to prevent a defective panel from leaking to the mounting process, a lighting signal is input before a driving circuit is mounted, and a lighting test is performed.
[0003]
As a lighting inspection device for a display panel of this type, a device using an inspection probe pin is known (see Patent Literature 1). However, instead of the inspection probe pin, a lighting inspection device is formed on a flexible printed circuit (FPC). It is also considered to use the electrode as a probe for lighting inspection.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent No. 2953039
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In general, a display panel has a plurality of electrodes in a display area, and an electrode terminal having a plurality of extraction electrodes at an end outside the display area by extending the electrodes and reducing the interval. Multiple blocks are arranged. The electrode pitch of the extraction electrodes of the display panel is, for example, about 300 μm between the electrodes in the case of an address electrode of a 42-inch plasma display panel.
[0006]
In the inspection method using the FPC as the lighting inspection probe, the extraction electrode of the lighting inspection probe made of the FPC is brought into contact with such an extraction electrode of the display panel, and the probe is pressed against the display panel. A lighting test is performed by energizing the display panel through the probe to light the display panel.
[0007]
In addition, in the conventional lighting inspection device, when the display panel is attached to or detached from the device, the inspection probe and the pressing mechanism are so arranged that the display panel does not interfere with the inspection probe and the pressing mechanism. The probe and the lighting signal generator are wired so that the connection between the probe and the lighting signal generator can be maintained even if the probe is moved by FPC or the like.
[0008]
However, in such a conventional configuration, in order to maintain the connection state between the probe and the lighting signal generating means even when the probe moves, it is necessary to lengthen the wiring such as the FPC to some extent. The wiring of the lighting inspection device is longer than the wiring between the display panel and the drive circuit when it is an actual product. Further, since the wiring of the lighting inspection device becomes longer, distortion and noise are easily superimposed on the driving waveform from the lighting signal generating means through the wiring portion. Could not be reproduced, the inspection accuracy was lowered, and the defective panel was leaked to the subsequent process.
[0009]
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a lighting inspection apparatus that faithfully reproduces a display quality at the time of a product and realizes a high-precision inspection.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a plurality of contacts having a plurality of extraction electrodes electrically contacting with the respective extraction electrodes of the display panel, corresponding to the electrode terminal block of the display panel, and A panel lighting unit configured to supply a signal from lighting signal generation means for lighting and displaying the display panel on the contact; and a contact of the panel lighting unit being pressed against an electrode terminal block of the display panel to form a display panel. A connection unit for bringing the extraction electrode of the contact into contact with the extraction electrode, wherein the panel lighting unit and the connection unit are movable with respect to the display panel.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
That is, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a lighting inspection apparatus for a display panel in which a plurality of electrode terminal blocks each having a plurality of extraction electrodes are arranged, and electrically contacts each of the extraction electrodes of the display panel. A plurality of contacts having a plurality of extraction electrodes are provided corresponding to the electrode terminal blocks of the display panel, and a signal is supplied from lighting signal generation means for lighting the display panel to the contacts. A panel lighting unit, and a connection unit for pressing a contact of the panel lighting unit against an electrode terminal block of the display panel and bringing an extraction electrode of the contact into contact with an extraction electrode of the display panel, and connecting to the panel lighting unit. The unit can be moved with respect to the display panel It is characterized in.
[0012]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lighting inspection apparatus for a display panel including a plurality of electrode terminal blocks having a plurality of extraction electrodes, wherein the plurality of extraction terminals electrically contacting the respective extraction electrodes of the display panel. Panel lighting in which a plurality of contacts having electrodes are provided corresponding to the electrode terminal blocks of the display panel, and signals are supplied from lighting signal generating means for lighting and displaying the display panel to the contacts. Unit, and a connection unit that presses the contacts of the panel lighting unit against the electrode terminal block of the display panel to contact the extraction electrodes of the contacts with the extraction electrodes of the display panel, so that the extraction electrodes are on the lower surface side. The display panel is mounted on a device, and the contact The extraction electrode is disposed on the upper surface side so as to be opposed to the extraction electrode, and is characterized in that the movable said connecting unit to the display panel.
[0013]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the connection unit is controlled to move in a direction away from the display panel when the display panel is attached to or detached from the device. And
[0014]
Hereinafter, a lighting inspection device for a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings of FIGS.
[0015]
FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of a lighting inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. In the drawing, reference numeral 10 denotes a display panel such as a plasma display panel, and an electrode having a plurality of extraction electrodes 102 formed by extending the electrode 101 at a peripheral end of the display panel 10 as shown in FIG. A plurality of terminal blocks 103 are arranged. The display panel 10 is positioned and held by panel holding means 12 provided on a main body base 11.
[0016]
Reference numerals 13 and 14 denote connection control blocks disposed on the main body base 11 so as to be movable in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, and correspond to both sides around one corner of the display panel 10 in FIG. An example is shown in which the connection control blocks 13 and 14 are arranged at two positions, which is appropriately changed depending on which side the electrode terminal block 103 of the display panel 10 is provided. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 1, the electrode terminal blocks 103 are provided with the front and back sides reversed on the long side and the short side of the display panel 10. In FIG. 1, the electrode terminal blocks 103 on the long side are provided. Are arranged on the upper surface side, and the electrode terminal blocks 103 on the shorter side are arranged on the lower surface side, and connection control blocks 13 and 14 are arranged corresponding to each.
[0017]
The connection control blocks 13 and 14 are configured by mounting panel lighting units 15 and 16 and connection units 17 and 18 on slide bases 131 and 141, as shown in FIGS. . The panel lighting units 15 and 16 correspond to the electrode terminal blocks 103 of the display panel 10 and include a plurality of holding blocks 152 and 162 in which a plurality of contacts 151 and 161 are attached to the slide bases 131 and 141. Lighting signal generating means 153, 163 are provided on the slide base portions 131, 141 for supplying signals for lighting the display panel 10 to the contacts 151, 161. It is constituted by.
[0018]
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the contacts 151 and 161 have a plurality of extraction electrodes 151a and 161a that are in electrical contact with the extraction electrodes 102 of the display panel 10, respectively. And a flexible printed wiring board on which a conductive pattern such as a copper foil is formed. Further, the lighting signal generating means 153, 163 and the contacts 151, 161 are connected via wiring means 154, 164.
[0019]
The connection units 17 and 18 press the contacts 151 and 161 against the electrode terminal block 103 of the display panel 10 to bring the extraction electrodes 151a and 161a of the contacts 151 and 161 into contact with the extraction electrode 102 of the display panel 10. The holding units 172 and 182 and the receiving units 173 and 183 supported by the shafts 171 and 181 so that the front end can be freely opened and closed, and the holding units 172 and 182 can be rotated about the shafts 171 and 181 The connection units 17 and 18 are mounted on the slide bases 131 and 141 so as to be movable by shafts 175 and 185 so as to be movable.
[0020]
Next, the operation of the lighting inspection device having the above configuration will be described.
[0021]
In FIG. 1, when the display panel 10 to be inspected is mounted on the panel holding means 14 and the lighting inspection is performed, first, in the connection control block 14, in order to avoid interference between the connection unit 18 and the display panel 10 shown in FIG. Then, the connection control block 14 integrally moves rearward without interference. Then, after the display panel 10 is mounted, the connection control block 14 integrally moves to a position where the contact 161 of the panel lighting unit 16 and the electrode terminal block 103 of the display panel 10 coincide with each other. After the movement, the connection unit 18 is operated by the movable mechanism 184, and the contact 161 of the display panel 10 and the panel lighting unit 16 is sandwiched between the holding unit 182 and the receiving unit 183, and both are brought into contact.
[0022]
In the connection control block 13, first, in order to avoid interference between the connection unit 17 and the display panel 10 shown in FIG. After the display panel 10 is mounted, the connection control block 13 integrally moves in a direction opposite to the previous direction to a position where the contact 151 of the panel lighting unit 15 and the electrode terminal block 103 of the display panel 10 coincide. After the movement, the connection unit 17 is actuated by the movable mechanism 174, and the contact 151 of the display panel 10 and the panel lighting unit 15 is sandwiched between the holding unit 172 and the receiving unit 173, and both are brought into contact.
[0023]
After the above operations, the lighting signals are supplied to the display panel 10 from the lighting signal generating means 153 and 163 via the contacts 151 and 161 of the panel lighting units 15 and 16 to perform lighting display. After the inspection is completed, interference with the display panel 10 is avoided by the same operation as described above, the display panel 10 is removed and replaced, and the inspection is repeated.
[0024]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, when attaching / detaching display panel 10, lighting signal generating means 153, 163 and contacts 151, 161 of panel lighting units 15, 16 move integrally with connection units 17, 18. Therefore, the distance between the wiring means 154 and 164 connecting the lighting signal generating means 153 and 163 and the contacts 151 and 161 is constant, and interference with the display panel 10 can be avoided. As a result, the wiring means 154 and 164 having the same length as the product can be used, and the display quality at the time of the product can be faithfully reproduced in the flat panel display lighting inspection device.
[0025]
Further, in this embodiment, the positions of the electrode terminal blocks are changed on the front and back sides on the short side and the long side of the display panel. However, similar effects can be obtained even when the electrode terminal blocks are arranged on the same surface side. can get.
[0026]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a main part of a lighting inspection device according to another embodiment of the present invention, and shows an example in which a lighting inspection is performed with the electrode terminal block 103 on the lower surface side. In the connection control block 19 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a panel lighting unit 20 fixed on the main body base 11 and a connection unit 21 movable with respect to the panel lighting unit 20 in the arrow direction. It is composed of
[0027]
The panel lighting unit 20 has a plurality of contacts 201 attached to the main body base 11 so as to correspond to the electrode terminal blocks 103 of the display panel 10 such that the extraction electrodes of the contacts 201 are on the upper surface side. A plurality of holding blocks 202 are provided so as to hold them, and a lighting signal generating means 203 that supplies a signal for lighting and displaying the display panel 10 on the contact 201 is provided on the main body base 11. The lighting signal generating means 203 and the contact 201 are connected via wiring means 204.
[0028]
The connection unit 21 presses the contact 201 against the electrode terminal block 103 of the display panel 10 to bring the extraction electrode of the contact 201 into contact with the extraction electrode 102 of the display panel 10, and the tip can be freely opened and closed. The pressing unit 212 and the receiving unit 213 supported by the shaft 211 as described above, and a movable mechanism portion 214 for rotating the pressing unit 212 about the shaft 211, and the receiving unit 213 of the connection unit 21. Are slidably held on a holding plate 111 of the main body base 11 to which the holding block 202 of the panel lighting unit 20 is attached.
[0029]
In this embodiment, the electrode terminal block 103 of the display panel 10 is on the lower surface side, while the extraction electrode of the contact 201 of the panel lighting unit 20 is on the upper surface side facing the electrode terminal block 103 of the display panel 10. It is arranged as follows.
[0030]
Therefore, when the lighting test is performed while the display panel 10 is held by the panel holding means 12, the panel lighting unit 20 does not interfere with the display panel 10 when the display panel 10 is attached or detached. And move backwards to avoid interference. Then, after the display panel 10 is mounted, the connection unit 21 moves in the opposite direction to the previous direction, and after the movement, the pressing mechanism 212 is operated by the movable mechanism 214, and the connection between the pressing mechanism 212 and the receiving unit 213 is performed. Then, the contact 201 between the display panel 10 and the panel lighting unit 20 is sandwiched between them, and the two are brought into contact with each other, and a lighting signal is supplied from the lighting signal generating means 203 to the display panel 10 to perform lighting display. After the inspection is completed, the connection unit 21 is moved backward to avoid interference with the display panel 10 by the same operation as described above, and then the display panel 10 is removed and replaced, and the inspection is repeated.
[0031]
As described above, also in the present embodiment, the arrangement distance between the contact 201 of the panel lighting unit 20 and the lighting signal generating means 203 is constant, and interference with the display panel 10 can be avoided. As a result, the wiring means 204 having the same length as the product can be used, and the display quality of the product can be faithfully reproduced in the display lighting inspection device.
[0032]
Note that, in the present embodiment, an example is described in which the connection control block 19 in which all the electrode terminal blocks 103 of the display panel 10 are on the lower surface side and the extraction electrodes of the contacts 201 of the panel lighting unit 20 are on the upper surface side. However, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, instead of the connection control block 14 on the short side of the display panel 10, a connection control block 19 shown in FIG. It may be used in combination with the connection control block 13, such as using the connection control block 13.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in the lighting inspection of the display panel, when the display panel is attached or detached, the arrangement distance between the lighting signal generating means of the panel lighting unit and the contact is fixed, and the connection between the display panel and the connection control block is performed. Since interference can be avoided and wiring means of the same length as the product can be used, it is possible to faithfully reproduce the display quality at the time of the product, and it is possible to improve the precision of the inspection In addition, it is possible to prevent the outflow of defective panels to the subsequent processes, and it is possible to greatly reduce the loss cost in the manufacturing process.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an entire configuration of a lighting inspection device for a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a configuration of a main part of the device. FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a main configuration of the device. FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a main configuration of a lighting inspection device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Reference Signs List 10 display panel 11 body bases 13, 14, 19 connection control blocks 15, 16, 20 panel lighting units 17, 18, 21 connection unit 102 extraction electrode 103 electrode terminal block 131, 141 slide base 151, 161, 201 contact 151a , 161a Extraction electrodes 153, 163, 203 Lighting signal generating means

Claims (3)

In a lighting inspection device for a display panel having a plurality of electrode terminal blocks having a plurality of extraction electrodes, a contact having a plurality of extraction electrodes electrically contacting with each of the extraction electrodes of the display panel is provided. A panel lighting unit which is provided in plurality corresponding to the terminal block and is configured to supply a signal from lighting signal generating means for lighting and displaying the display panel on the contact, and a contact of the panel lighting unit; A connection unit that presses against the electrode terminal block of the display panel to contact the extraction electrode of the contact with the extraction electrode of the display panel, wherein the panel lighting unit and the connection unit are movable with respect to the display panel. Display panel lighting査 apparatus. In a lighting inspection device for a display panel having a plurality of electrode terminal blocks having a plurality of extraction electrodes, a contact having a plurality of extraction electrodes electrically contacting with each of the extraction electrodes of the display panel is provided. A panel lighting unit which is provided in plurality corresponding to the terminal block and is configured to supply a signal from lighting signal generating means for lighting and displaying the display panel on the contact, and a contact of the panel lighting unit; A connection unit that presses against the electrode terminal block of the display panel to contact the extraction electrode of the contact with the extraction electrode of the display panel, and attaches the display panel to the device so that the extraction electrode is on the lower surface side; Connect the extraction electrode of the contact to the extraction electrode As countercurrent disposed on the upper surface side, and lighting test device of the display panel, characterized in that the movable said connecting unit to the display panel. 3. The display panel lighting inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the connection unit is controlled to move in a direction away from the display panel when the display panel is detached from the device.

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