JP2008084648A - Lighting inspection device of display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lighting inspection device of a display panel that achieves high productivity by preventing damage of display panels in lighting inspection. <P>SOLUTION: The lighting inspection device 100 of a display panel has a weight detecting part 140 detecting a size of the display panel 103 or a thickness of the substrate provided in connection with a panel retention part 111. Further, it is provided with an operation control part 150 into which a detection value of the weight detecting part 140 is input, panel position control parts 151, 152 receiving a control signal from the operation control part 150, and clamp control parts 153, 154. Here, the operation control part 150 outputs signals of a mounting speed and a pinching speed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a lighting inspection apparatus for a display panel such as a plasma display panel or a liquid crystal display panel.

  In general, a flat display panel such as a liquid crystal display panel or a plasma display panel (hereinafter referred to as “PDP”) is mounted on a drive circuit and commercialized. In the manufacturing process, in order to prevent the defective panel from flowing out to the mounting process, a lighting signal is input and a lighting test is performed before the driving circuit is mounted.

  However, in recent years, the panel size has also become various, and the model of the panel for performing the lighting inspection is frequently switched. Further, such flat display panels usually use glass for the substrate, but the thickness of the glass substrate is also various. Here, when the model of the flat display panel is switched or the thickness of the glass substrate is changed, there is a problem that it takes a lot of work time, for example, a jig for holding the glass substrate needs to be replaced.

  As a display panel lighting inspection apparatus that reduces the work time required for such model switching, for example, there is an apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a PDP lighting inspection apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1. The PDP 8 is fixed to the clamp unit 2 and is connected to a connection terminal of the flexible printed circuit 5 that transmits an output signal of the drive circuit 6 attached to the module plate 7. Two sets of the clamp unit 2 are attached to the front and back of the clamp base 3 provided with a rotation mechanism.

Since the clamp base 3 rotating in this way can attach a plurality of clamp units 2, the necessary clamp unit 2 may be attached in advance. Then, when the model is switched, the required clamp unit 2 can be replaced in a short time by rotating the clamp base 3.
JP 2002-134025 A

  In the clamp unit 2, a display panel such as the PDP 8 is mounted and sandwiched and fixed, but it is necessary to appropriately adjust the speed at which the PDP 8 is mounted and the sandwiching speed. For example, if these speeds are low, it takes too much time for mounting and the like, and if it is too high, the PDP 8 and the clamp unit 2 may suddenly come into contact with each other, so that the PDP 8 may be damaged.

  However, there is no example in which the conventional display panel lighting inspection device has studied the speed at which the display panel is mounted on the clamp unit 2. For this reason, the mounting speed and the like are manually adjusted. However, manual adjustment takes time, and there is a problem that a setting error or a setting may be forgotten, resulting in damage to the display panel.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide a display panel lighting inspection apparatus that prevents damage to the display panel during a lighting inspection and realizes high productivity.

  In order to achieve the above object, a lighting inspection apparatus for a display panel according to the present invention includes a panel holding unit for mounting a display panel having a terminal electrode portion on the outer peripheral end of a substrate, and a panel for supplying a lighting signal to the display panel. A lighting signal generator, a panel lighting signal connector connected to the panel lighting signal generator, a clamp that sandwiches and presses the panel lighting signal connector and the terminal electrode, and a weight for detecting the weight of the display panel The configuration includes a detection unit and an operation control unit that controls at least one operation of the panel holding unit or the clamp unit based on the detection value of the weight detection unit.

  If it is set as the lighting inspection apparatus of the display panel of such a structure, a weight detection part will detect the weight of a display panel. Based on this weight, the operation control unit controls at least one operation of the panel holding unit or the clamp unit. Thus, even if the display panel model and the thickness of the glass substrate are changed, the above-described control is performed based on the weight. Therefore, the display panel is not damaged, and a lighting inspection device that realizes high productivity is provided. be able to.

  The weight detection unit of the display panel lighting inspection apparatus of the present invention may include a calculation unit that calculates the size of the display panel or the thickness of the substrate from the weight of the display panel.

  Since the weight of the display panel can be easily measured with a weight sensor or the like, it can be easily calculated if a relational expression of the weight, the panel size and the thickness is created in advance.

  The display panel lighting inspection apparatus of the present invention may control the above-described operation based on the size of the display panel or the thickness of the substrate.

  If the above-described control of the panel holding unit or the like is performed based on the size of the display panel or the thickness of the substrate, the panel can be reliably held, and thus the display panel can be prevented from being damaged during the lighting test.

  Moreover, the panel holding part of the display panel lighting inspection apparatus of the present invention includes a support base that supports at least two of the four corners of the display panel, and a panel position restriction part that is provided on the support base, and moves the support base. The panel position restricting portion may be brought into contact with the corner of the display panel and the movement speed of the support base may be controlled to control the operation of the panel position restricting portion.

  When such a configuration and control of the panel holding part are performed, the display panel is supported by the support base and positioned by the panel position restricting part, so that it can be mounted on the panel holding part more reliably without damaging the display panel. it can.

  Further, the panel holding part of the display panel lighting inspection apparatus according to the present invention may be controlled so that the moving speed decreases as the size of the display panel increases or the thickness of the substrate decreases.

  By adopting such a moving speed, the display panel is more slowly attached to the panel holding portion as the panel size is larger or the substrate thickness is smaller, so that the display panel can be more reliably prevented from being damaged.

  Further, the clamp part of the lighting inspection device for a display panel according to the present invention sandwiches and presses the panel lighting signal connection part between the holding part that holds the surface opposite to the surface of the substrate on which the terminal electrode part is formed, and the terminal electrode part. A pressing portion, and the operation of the clamp portion may be controlled by controlling the pressing speed of the pressing portion.

  As described above, since the pressing speed at the time of clamping the display panel is controlled, the display panel can be prevented from being damaged at the time of clamping.

  Further, the clamp portion of the display panel lighting inspection apparatus of the present invention may be controlled so that the pressing speed decreases as the size of the display panel increases or the thickness of the substrate decreases.

  By using such a pressing speed of the clamp portion, the display panel is more slowly prevented from being clamped to the clamp portion as the panel size is larger or the substrate thickness is smaller. .

  Moreover, the clamp part of the lighting inspection apparatus for a display panel of the present invention may control the operation of the clamp part by controlling the pressing force of the pressing part.

  In this way, since the operation of the clamp portion is controlled by controlling the pressing force of the pressing portion of the clamp portion, the display panel can be more reliably prevented from being damaged.

  The pressing force of the pressing portion of the clamp portion of the display panel lighting inspection apparatus of the present invention may be controlled so that the pressing force decreases as the thickness of the substrate decreases.

  As described above, since the pressing force is controlled to be smaller as the thickness of the substrate is smaller, a large force is not applied to the substrate having a smaller thickness, so that the display panel can be more reliably prevented from being damaged.

  According to the lighting inspection apparatus for a display panel of the present invention, the operation control unit controls at least one operation of the panel holding unit or the clamp unit based on the weight of the display panel. Therefore, even if the display panel model and the thickness of the glass substrate are changed, the above-described control is performed based on the weight, the display panel is not damaged, and a display panel lighting inspection device that realizes high productivity is provided. be able to.

  Hereinafter, a lighting inspection apparatus for a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a lighting inspection apparatus for a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. The display panel lighting inspection apparatus 100 is provided with panel holding portions 110, 111, 112, and 113 for supporting and placing four corners of a display panel 103 of a PDP having a terminal electrode portion 102 on a base portion 101. Yes. Here, the display panel 103 includes a front plate 103a and a back plate 103b, which are substrates, and a terminal electrode portion 102 is provided at the outer peripheral end of the front plate 103a and the display electrode 102a provided on the outer peripheral end of the front plate 103a. The address electrode 102b is provided.

  In addition, the display panel lighting inspection apparatus 100 is provided with clamp portions 120, 121, 122, and 123 that are in pressure contact with the terminal electrode portion 102 outside the display panel 103 at the periphery of the base portion 101.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1 showing a state in which the display panel 103 is placed on the lighting inspection apparatus 100 for a display panel according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view when the display panel 103 is mounted on the display panel lighting inspection apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The display panel lighting inspection device 100 is connected to the lighting signal generators 130 and 131 for lighting the display panel 103, the lighting signal holding unit 132 for holding the lighting signal generators 130 and 131, and the lighting signal generators 130 and 131. Panel lighting signal connecting portions 133 and 134 are provided. And the lighting signal generation parts 130 and 131 and the clamp parts 123 and 121 are connected through the panel lighting signal connection parts 133 and 134, respectively.

  Here, the panel lighting signal connection parts 133 and 134 are constituted by, for example, a flexible substrate. The clamp part 121 includes a holding part 121a that holds a surface opposite to the surface of the substrate on which the terminal electrode part is formed, a pressing part 121b that sandwiches and presses the panel lighting signal connection part 133 on the terminal electrode part, and an air cylinder 121c. I have. Similarly, the clamp part 123 includes a holding part 123a, a pressing part 123b, and an air cylinder 123c.

  In addition, the display panel lighting inspection apparatus 100 is provided with a weight detection unit 140 that detects the weight of the display panel 103, as shown in FIG. Furthermore, an operation control unit 150 to which the detection value of the weight detection unit 140 is input, panel position control units 151 and 152 that receive control signals from the operation control unit 150, and clamp control units 153 and 154 are provided.

  Here, the weight detection unit 140 includes a calculation unit 141 that measures the weight of the display panel 103 with a weight sensor such as a load cell and calculates the size of the display panel 103 or the thickness of the substrate. The operation control unit 150 outputs a mounting speed control signal for mounting the display panel 103 to the panel holding units 110 and 111 to the panel position control units 151 and 152 according to the size of the display panel 103 or the thickness of the substrate. Similarly, the operation control unit 150 outputs a clamping speed control signal for the clamp units 121 and 123 to the clamp control units 153 and 154 according to the size of the display panel 103 or the thickness of the substrate. The panel position control unit 151 includes the function of the weight detection unit 140.

  4A is a plan view of the panel holding portions 110, 111, 112, and 113 of the display panel lighting inspection apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4B is a plan view of FIG. It is a front view of the panel holding | maintenance part 110,113 seen from the B line direction. At one end of the panel holding portions 110, 111, 112, and 113, support bases 110a, 111a, 112a, and 113a that support the corners of the display panel 103 are provided. The support base 110a is provided with panel position restricting portions 110b and 110c that abut the corners of the display panel 103. Similarly, the support base 111a includes panel position restriction portions 111b and 111c, the support base 112a includes panel position restriction portions 112b and 112c, and the support base 113a includes panel position restriction portions 113b and 113c. .

  Here, the panel position restricting portions 110b, 111b, 112b, and 113b make contact with the corners of the display panel 103 in the horizontal direction on the paper surface, and the panel position restricting portions 110c, 111c, 112c, and 113c make contact with the corners of the display panel 103 in the vertical direction on the paper surface. .

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a method of mounting the display panel 103 to the display panel lighting inspection device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The display panel according to the embodiment of the present invention is also described with reference to FIGS. The operation of the lighting inspection apparatus 100 will be described.

  Fig.5 (a) shows the flowchart at the time of mounting | wearing. First, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the display panel 103 is placed on panel holding portions 110, 111, 112, and 113 that are lifted and lowered integrally in the vertical direction of the base portion 101 by pneumatic driving.

  The weight detection unit 140 connected to the panel holding unit 111 measures the weight of the placed display panel 103, and the calculation unit 141 calculates the size of the display panel 103 or the thickness of the substrate. This can be calculated by examining in advance the relationship between the size of the display panel 103 and the thickness of the substrate to be inspected by the display panel lighting inspection apparatus 100 and the weight applied to the weight detection unit 140.

  The detected size of the display panel 103 or the thickness of the substrate is input to the operation control unit 150. The operation control unit 150 sets the mounting speed in the panel position control units 151 and 152 in FIG. 2, and the clamp control units 153 and 154. Set the pinching speed. Here, the mounting speed is a speed at which the display panel 103 is lowered to the lighting signal holding unit 132 and a speed at which the display panel 103 is positioned on the panel holding units 110, 111, 112, 113.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the panel holding units 110, 111, 112, 113 are lowered in the direction of the arrow P in the vertical direction of the display panel 103 and moved until the display panel 103 is placed on the lighting signal holding unit 132. . The operations of the panel holding units 110, 111, 112, and 113 are controlled by the respective panel position control units.

  Next, the display panel 103 is positioned. This is to facilitate alignment between the terminal electrode portion 102 and the panel lighting signal connection portions 133 and 134. As shown in FIG. 4, the display panel 103 is placed on the support bases 110 a, 111 a, 112 a, and 113 a of the panel holding units 110, 111, 112, and 113. In this state, the panel holders 110 and 111 are first moved in the direction of the arrow Q in the horizontal direction on the paper surface with the panel holders 112 and 113 as a reference. At this time, the position of the end surface of the front plate 103a is restricted by the panel position restricting portions 110b, 111b, 112b, and 113b, and the lateral positioning is performed. Thereafter, the panel holding units 111 and 112 are moved in the direction of arrow R in the vertical direction on the paper surface with respect to the panel holding units 110 and 113. At this time, the end surface of the back plate 103b is position-regulated by the panel position restricting portions 110c, 111c, 112c, and 113c and positioned in the vertical direction, and the positioning of the display panel 103 is completed.

  Thereafter, the terminal electrode unit 102 and the panel lighting signal connection units 133 and 134 are aligned. For this alignment, a method of detecting an alignment mark performed by an exposure apparatus or the like with a laser beam may be used.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 1, the clamp portions 120, 121, 122, and 123 are moved with respect to the display panel 103 in the inner arrow S direction in parallel with the surface of the display panel 103. As shown in FIG. 3, the pressing portions 121b and 123b are rotated in the direction of arrow T by the air cylinders 121c and 123c to clamp the end portion of the display panel 103 and the panel lighting signal connection portions 133 and 134. As a result, the address electrode 102b, which is the terminal electrode portion 102 of the display panel 103, and the panel lighting signal connection portions 133 and 134 are connected. Similarly, the clamp portions 120 and 122 connect the display electrode 102a, which is the terminal electrode portion 102 in the left-right direction in FIG. 1, to the panel lighting signal connection portion (not shown).

  Here, the mounting speed of the display panel 103 to the display panel lighting inspection apparatus 100 is such that the moving speed of the panel holding portions 110, 111, 112, 113 decreases as the size of the display panel 103 increases or the thickness of the substrate decreases. Control to be.

  By setting the moving speed of the panel holding units 110, 111, 112, and 113 as described above, the display panel 103 is moved to the panel holding units 110, 111, 112, and 113 as the panel size increases or the substrate thickness decreases. Since it is mounted slowly, the display panel can be more reliably prevented from being damaged.

  Further, the sandwiching speed of the clamp portions 120, 121, 122, and 123 of the display panel lighting inspection apparatus 100 is controlled such that the sandwiching speed decreases as the size of the display panel 103 increases or the thickness of the substrate decreases. Furthermore, the pressing force of the pressing parts 121b and 123b of the clamp part is controlled so that the pressing force becomes smaller as the thickness of the substrate becomes smaller.

  By setting the clamping speed of the pressing portions 121b and 123b of the clamp, the display panel is more slowly and securely clamped to the clamp portion as the panel size is larger or the substrate thickness is smaller. Panel damage can be prevented. In addition, since the pressing force of the pressing portions 121b and 123b of the clamp portion is set as described above, a large force is not applied to the substrate having a small thickness, so that the display panel can be more reliably prevented from being damaged.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6 for explaining the mounting speed of the display panel and the clamping speed of the clamp portion in the lighting inspection apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, these speeds are controlled at the beginning and slowly with the passage of time. It is good to do so. With such a mounting method, the display panel can be quickly mounted because the initial speed is fast, and the display panel can be prevented from being damaged because the subsequent speed is decreased.

  FIG. 5B shows a flow chart when the display panel 103 is removed from the lighting inspection apparatus 100 for the display panel, which is the reverse of the flow at the time of mounting. That is, after releasing the clamps of the clamp portions 120, 121, 122, and 123, they are moved outward in parallel with the surface of the display panel 103. And the panel holding | maintenance part 110, 111, 112, 113 is raised to the orthogonal | vertical direction of the display panel 103, and the display panel 103 is removed.

  When such a display panel lighting inspection apparatus is used, the weight detection unit detects the size of the display panel or the thickness of the substrate to be inspected for lighting. Based on the size or the thickness of the substrate, the operation control unit instructs the display panel mounting speed and the clamping unit clamping speed. Thus, even if the display panel model and the thickness of the glass substrate are changed, the display panel is automatically mounted and the clamp portion is sandwiched according to the size and thickness. For this reason, since the display panel is mounted and the clamp portion is sandwiched at an appropriate speed, the display panel is not damaged and high productivity can be realized.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the PDP has been described as the display panel. However, the present invention can also be applied to lighting inspection apparatuses such as a liquid crystal panel, an organic EL display panel, and an SED panel.

  Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the configuration in which the weight sensor is connected only to the panel holding unit 111 is shown. However, if the weight sensor is connected to a plurality of panel holding units, the accuracy of weight measurement can be further improved. .

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the method of calculating the size or the thickness of the substrate from the weight of the display panel has been described. However, the size of the display panel or the thickness of the substrate may be directly measured by laser measurement or the like. Good.

  According to the display panel lighting inspection apparatus of the present invention, the display panel is not damaged, and high productivity can be realized, which is useful for the display panel lighting inspection.

The front view which shows schematic structure of the lighting inspection apparatus of the display panel of embodiment of this invention FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. Sectional view when the display panel is installed in the lighting inspection device of the display panel (A) Plan view of the panel holding part of the lighting inspection device for the display panel (b) Front view of the panel holding part when FIG. 4 (a) is viewed from the BB line direction (A) Flow diagram at the time of mounting for explaining a method of mounting the display panel to the lighting inspection device of the display panel (b) Flow diagram at the time of removal The figure explaining the mounting speed of the display panel to the lighting inspection device of the display panel and the clamping speed of the clamp part Sectional view of a conventional PDP lighting inspection device

Explanation of symbols

2 Clamp Unit 3 Clamp Base 5 Flexible Printed Circuit 6 Drive Circuit 7 Module Plate 8 PDP
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Display panel lighting test | inspection apparatus 101 Base part 102 Terminal electrode part 102a Display electrode 102b Address electrode 103 Display panel 103a Front panel 103b Rear panel 110, 111, 112, 113 Panel holding part 110a, 111a, 112a, 113a Support stand 110b, 110c, 111b, 111c, 112b, 112c, 113b, 113c Panel position restricting portion 120, 121, 122, 123 Clamping portion 121a, 123a Holding portion 121b, 123b Pressing portion 121c, 123c Air cylinder 130, 131 Lighting signal generating portion 132 Lighting Signal holding unit 133,134 Panel lighting signal connection unit 140 Weight detection unit 141 Calculation unit 150 Operation control unit 151,152 Panel position control unit 153,154 Clamp control Part

Claims (9)

A panel holding portion for placing a display panel having a terminal electrode portion on the outer peripheral edge of the substrate;
A panel lighting signal generator for supplying a lighting signal to the display panel;
A panel lighting signal connection unit connected to the panel lighting signal generation unit;
A clamp portion that sandwiches and press-connects the panel lighting signal connection portion and the terminal electrode portion;
A weight detector for detecting the weight of the display panel;
A display panel lighting inspection device comprising: an operation control unit that controls at least one operation of the panel holding unit or the clamp unit based on a detection value of the weight detection unit. The display panel lighting inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the weight detection unit includes a calculation unit that calculates a size of the display panel or a thickness of the substrate from a weight of the display panel. 3. The display panel lighting inspection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation is controlled based on a size of the display panel or a thickness of the substrate. The panel holding portion includes a support base that supports at least two of the four corners of the display panel, and a panel position restriction portion provided on the support base, and the panel position restriction portion is moved by moving the support base. The lighting inspection apparatus for a display panel according to claim 1, wherein the display panel lighting inspection apparatus controls the operation of the panel position restricting unit by contacting the corner of the display panel and controlling the moving speed of the support base. The display panel lighting inspection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the moving speed is controlled to be smaller as the size of the display panel is larger or as the thickness of the substrate is smaller. The clamp portion includes a holding portion that holds a surface opposite to the surface of the substrate on which the terminal electrode portion is formed, and a pressing portion that sandwiches and presses the panel lighting signal connection portion on the terminal electrode portion, The lighting inspection apparatus for a display panel according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the clamp unit is controlled by controlling a pressing speed of the pressing unit. The lighting inspection device for a display panel according to claim 6, wherein control is performed such that the pressing speed decreases as the size of the display panel increases or the thickness of the substrate decreases. The lighting inspection device for a display panel according to claim 6, further comprising controlling the operation of the clamp unit by controlling a pressing force of the pressing unit. The display panel lighting inspection device according to claim 8, wherein the pressing force is controlled to be smaller as the thickness of the substrate is smaller.

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