JP2013228234A - Key top size inspection device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a key top size inspection device that enables highly precise inspection.SOLUTION: A key top size inspection device includes a laser displacement gauge 18 that irradiates a keyboard 20 with a laser beam to measure the height of the keyboard 20 surface, an acquisition unit 37 that acquires the height according to the position of the laser displacement gauge 18 relative to the keyboard 20, and a calculation unit 38 for calculating the size of a key top 20b of the keyboard 20 on the basis of the acquired height.

Description

  The present invention relates to a key top size inspection apparatus.

  A keyboard is used as an input device for electronic devices such as computers and mobile phones. With the recent miniaturization of electronic devices, the miniaturization of keyboards is also progressing. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a keyboard of a notebook computer. One of inspections for determining whether a keyboard is a good product or a defective product is a key top size test.

JP 2007-87434 A

  For example, in the conventional key top size inspection such as visual inspection, there is a possibility that a defective product may be overlooked or erroneously determined. For example, due to the miniaturization of the keyboard as described above, the key top size is also reduced, and higher accuracy is required for inspection. An object of this invention is to provide the key top size test | inspection apparatus which can test | inspect with high precision in view of the said subject.

  The present invention measures the height of the keyboard by irradiating the keyboard with laser light, and scans the laser light relative to the keyboard, and according to the irradiation position of the laser light, A key top size inspection apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires the height; and a calculation unit that calculates a key top size of the keyboard based on the acquired height.

  In the above-described configuration, the laser beam scanning includes an output unit that outputs a periodic signal, the acquisition unit acquires the height for each period of the periodic signal, and the calculation unit includes: The product of the number of times the height equal to or higher than a predetermined value among the acquired heights and the wavelength of the periodic signal can be calculated as the key top size.

  The said structure WHEREIN: The said laser displacement meter can be set as the structure which measures the said height along at least one of the 1st direction and the 2nd direction crossing the said 1st direction.

  The said structure WHEREIN: It can be set as the structure provided with the computer connected with the said laser displacement meter including the said acquisition part and the said calculation part.

  In the above configuration, an AD converter is included in the computer and converts the height data output from the laser displacement meter from analog data to digital data, and the acquisition unit acquires the digital data. Can do.

  In the above configuration, a computer including the calculation unit, and a circuit connected to the laser displacement meter and the computer and including the acquisition unit may be provided.

  In the above configuration, an AD converter included in the circuit and converting the height data output from the laser displacement meter from analog data to digital data is provided, and the acquisition unit acquires the digital data. Can do.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a key top size inspection device capable of highly accurate inspection.

FIG. 1A is a schematic view illustrating a key top size inspection apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating a part of the key top size inspection apparatus. FIG. 2A is a schematic view illustrating a path scanned by the laser displacement meter. FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram showing the principle of measurement. FIG. 2C is a graph showing an example of measurement data. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the control of the key top size inspection apparatus. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the scan path. FIG. 5A is a schematic view illustrating a key top size inspection apparatus according to the second embodiment. FIG. 5B is a block diagram illustrating a part of the key top size inspection apparatus.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  Example 1 is an example using a laser displacement meter. FIG. 1A is a schematic view illustrating a key top size inspection apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, a key top size inspection apparatus 100 includes a personal computer (PC) 10, an X-axis controller 12, a Y-axis controller 14, an X-axis robot 16, a laser displacement meter 18, and a laser displacement meter controller. 19 is provided. The keyboard 20 is placed on a cradle 22, and the cradle 22 is placed on a belt conveyor (not shown) of the X-axis robot 16. The laser displacement meter 18 includes a Y-axis robot 18a and a laser head 18b, and measures the height of the keyboard 20 surface. The Y-axis robot 18a includes an actuator, for example, and can move in the Y-axis direction. The laser head 18b is fixed to the Y-axis robot 18a and irradiates laser light.

  The personal computer 10 is connected to the X-axis controller 12 and the Y-axis controller 14, and is connected to the laser displacement meter 18 via the laser displacement meter controller 19. The personal computer 10 transmits a signal indicating the position of the keyboard 20 in the X-axis direction to the X-axis controller 12. The X-axis controller 12 rotates the belt conveyor of the X-axis robot 16 based on the signal transmitted from the personal computer 10. The cradle 22 is moved by the rotation of the belt conveyor. The keyboard 20 moves with the cradle 22.

  The personal computer 10 transmits a signal instructing the laser displacement meter controller 19 to irradiate laser light. In response to a signal transmitted from the personal computer 10, the laser head 18 b emits laser light toward the keyboard 20. The personal computer 10 transmits a signal indicating the position of the Y-axis robot 18 a to the Y-axis controller 14. The Y-axis controller 14 moves the Y-axis robot 18a based on the signal transmitted from the personal computer 10. The laser head 18b moves with the Y-axis robot 18a. Thus, the laser displacement meter 18 changes the relative position with respect to the keyboard 20 and causes the keyboard 20 to scan relative to the keyboard 20. The laser displacement meter controller 19 acquires the output voltage (voltage data) of the laser head 18 b and transmits it to the personal computer 10. As will be described later, the personal computer 10 converts the voltage data into height data, and calculates the key top width (key top size) of the keyboard 20.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating a part of the key top size inspection apparatus 100. The personal computer 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 30, interfaces (I / F) 32 and 34, and AD (Analog).
Digital) converter 36 is provided. The I / F 32 is an RS232C interface, for example, and mediates communication between the X-axis controller 12 and the Y-axis controller 14 and the CPU 30. The I / F 34 is, for example, USB (Universal
Serial Bus) interface, which mediates communication between the laser displacement meter controller 19 and the CPU 30. The AD converter 36 performs AD conversion for converting voltage data that is analog data into height data that is digital data. The CPU 30 functions as an acquisition unit 37 and a calculation unit 38. The acquisition part 37 acquires height data according to the irradiation position of a laser beam. As will be described later, the calculation unit 38 calculates the width of the key top (key top size) based on the acquired height data. The X-axis controller 12 includes an encoder 12a (output unit). The encoder 12a outputs a pulse signal as the laser beam is scanned.

  The key top size measurement will be described. FIG. 2A is a schematic view illustrating the scanning path of laser light. A line arrow indicates a scan path in the X-axis direction (X-axis scan path), and a black arrow indicates a scan path in the Y-axis direction (Y-axis scan path). The laser head 18b shown in FIG. 1A irradiates laser light. When the X-axis robot 16 moves the keyboard 20 in the X-axis direction (first direction), the laser beam scans, for example, the uppermost key row (first row) of the keyboard 20. When the first row scan is completed, the Y-axis robot 18a moves in the Y-axis direction (second direction) together with the laser head 18b. When the X-axis robot 16 moves the keyboard 20 to the right side, the laser beam scans the second row. By repeating the above operation, the laser beam scans the entire keyboard 20. Thereby, the laser displacement meter 18 can measure the height of the keyboard 20 surface along the X-axis direction.

  FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram showing the principle of measurement. FIG. 2C is a graph showing an example of measurement data. As shown in FIG. 2B, the keyboard 20 includes a housing 20a and a key top 20b provided on the housing 20a. The key top size W is the width of the key top 20b. The laser head 18b irradiates laser light L indicated by a broken line in the drawing. The keyboard 20 moves in the X-axis direction while the irradiation with the laser beam L continues. As the laser beam L is scanned, the encoder 12a outputs a pulse signal S. The encoder 12a is, for example, a rotary encoder, and the length of one round is, for example, 6 mm. The wavelength λ of the pulse signal S is 23.4 μm, which is a value obtained by dividing 6 mm into 256, for example. The acquisition unit 37 acquires voltage data from the laser displacement meter controller 19 at the rising timing of the pulse signal S indicated by an arrow in the drawing. Thereby, the height of the surface of the keyboard 20 is measured. The key top size inspection apparatus 100 performs the above measurement for each column of the keyboard 20.

  A height H1 shown in FIG. 2C is a threshold value for distinguishing between the housing 20a and the key top 20b, and is, for example, 1.5 mm. For example, it is determined that the position where the height is equal to or higher than H1 is the key top 20b, and the position where the height is less than H1 is the housing 20a. For example, the position P1 corresponds to the housing 20a, and the height is 0 mm at this time. The position P2 corresponds to the key top 20b. At this time, the height is H2 (for example, 3 mm) larger than H1. The height is H2 even at a position P3 that is 23.4 μm away from the position P2. It is assumed that a height equal to or higher than H1 is acquired continuously, for example, 500 times from the positions P2 to P4. The calculation unit 38 calculates the key top size W as 11.7 mm, which is the product of the wavelength 23.4 μm and the frequency 500. After calculating the key top size W in the X-axis direction, the personal computer 10 compares the reference value with the key top size W, for example, and makes a pass / fail determination.

  Control of the key top size inspection apparatus 100 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the control of the key top size inspection apparatus 100.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the CPU 30 outputs a signal for laser irradiation to the laser displacement meter controller 19. The laser head 18b starts irradiation with laser light (step S10). The CPU 30 transmits signals to the X-axis controller 12 and the Y-axis controller 14. The X-axis robot 16 rotates the belt conveyor and moves the keyboard 20 and the cradle 22. The Y-axis robot 18a moves together with the laser head 18b (step S11). The acquisition unit 37 monitors the pulse signal S and determines whether the time is synchronized with the rising edge of the pulse signal S (step S12). If no, step S12 is repeated. In the case of Yes, the acquisition part 37 acquires height data (step S13). The calculation unit 38 determines whether scanning of all the columns of the keyboard 20 has been completed (step S14). In No, the control after step S11 is repeated. In the case of Yes, for example, as described with reference to FIG. 2B, the calculation unit 38 calculates the key top size based on the height data, the number of continuous data and the wavelength (step S15). After step S15, the control ends. As a result, the key top size can be measured.

  For example, the key top size may be inspected visually. However, human errors such as missed defects and misjudgments occur visually. Also, the key top size can be measured by image recognition on the keyboard surface. However, when the color of the casing 20a is similar to the color of the key top 20b, it is difficult to distinguish between the casing 20a and the key top 20b in image recognition. As a result, it becomes difficult to measure the key top size.

  The height measurement by the laser displacement meter 18 is not easily influenced by the colors of the housing 20a and the key top 20b. The difference in height between the housing 20a and the key top 20b is, for example, several mm to 10 mm. Therefore, it is easy to distinguish between the housing 20a and the key top 20b with the laser light. For this reason, errors such as oversight are unlikely to occur, and highly accurate inspection is possible.

  For example, in visual inspection, there may be about two missed events per month, but according to the first embodiment, there are no missed events. The visual inspection time is about 40 seconds per keyboard 20. According to the first embodiment, since the inspection is automated, the inspection time can be reduced to, for example, about 16 seconds per unit.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, the acquisition unit 37 acquires height data for each cycle of the pulse signal S. The calculation unit 38 calculates the product of the number of times the height equal to or higher than H1 is continued and the wavelength λ as the key top size. Thereby, a highly accurate inspection is possible. By reducing the wavelength λ of the pulse signal S, the number of height data to be acquired increases, so that the inspection accuracy can be further improved. The acquisition part 37 should just acquire height for every period, for example, may acquire it at the timing of the termination | terminus of the pulse signal S. A periodic signal other than the pulse signal S may be used. In addition to the period, the acquisition unit 37 may acquire the height for each pulse width, for example. Thus, the acquisition unit 37 acquires the height according to the irradiation position of the laser light.

  For example, since the keyboard 20 used in portable electronic devices such as notebook personal computers (notebook personal computers) is miniaturized, the key top size is also reduced. Further, the difference in key top size of each key is reduced. Since high accuracy is required for inspection as the keyboard 20 is downsized, it is more effective to use the first embodiment.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the scan path. As shown in FIG. 4, for example, the height may be measured along the Y-axis direction. In this case, the Y-axis robot 18a preferably includes an encoder. Further, the laser displacement meter 18 may perform the scans of both FIG. Thereby, the key top sizes in both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction can be inspected. The laser displacement meter 18 may measure the height along at least one of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. The scan path only needs to have a plurality of intersecting directions, and can be changed according to the keyboard layout of the keyboard 20.

  The personal computer 10 includes an AD converter 36, and the CPU 30 functions as an acquisition unit 37 and a calculation unit 38. For this reason, the configuration of the key top size inspection apparatus 100 is simplified, and downsizing and cost reduction are possible. A computer other than the personal computer 10 may be used.

  The second embodiment is an example in which a data acquisition circuit 40 is provided. FIG. 5A is a schematic view illustrating a key top size inspection apparatus 200 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5A, the key top size inspection device 200 includes a data acquisition circuit 40. The data acquisition circuit 40 is connected to the personal computer 10, the X-axis controller 12, the Y-axis controller 14, and the laser displacement meter controller 19. Except for the data acquisition circuit 40, the key top size inspection device 200 has the same configuration as the key top size inspection device 100 of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5B is a block diagram illustrating a part of the key top size inspection apparatus 200. The data acquisition circuit 40 includes microcomputers (microcomputers) 42 and 44 and an AD converter 46. The microcomputers 42 and 44 are, for example, PIC (Peripheral
Interface Controller). The microcomputer 42 functions as an acquisition unit. The CPU 30 of the personal computer 10 functions as the calculation unit 38.

  The control of the key top size inspection apparatus 200 is the same as the control shown in the flowchart of FIG. The microcomputer 42 monitors the pulse signal S and determines synchronization (step S12). In the case of Yes, the AD converter 46 performs AD conversion from voltage data to height data. The microcomputer 44 acquires the height data (step S14) and transmits it to the personal computer 10. The calculation unit 38 calculates the key top size based on the height data transmitted from the data acquisition circuit 40 (step S15).

  According to the second embodiment, high-precision inspection is possible as in the first embodiment. For example, when the OS (Operating System) of the personal computer 10 is Windows (registered trademark), the personal computer 10 may perform processing other than the key-top size inspection, and the load applied to the personal computer 10 increases. For example, a freeze of the personal computer 10 occurs and the reliability of the inspection is lowered. According to the second embodiment, since the microcomputer 44 of the data acquisition circuit 40 functions as an acquisition unit that acquires height data, the load on the personal computer 10 is reduced. For this reason, the reliability of inspection improves.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims. It can be changed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 PC 12 X-axis controller 12a Encoder 14 Y-axis controller 18 Laser displacement meter 20 Keyboard 20b Key top 36, 46 AD converter 37 Acquisition part 38 Calculation part 40 Data acquisition circuit 42, 44 Microcomputer 100, 200 Key top size inspection apparatus

Claims (7)

A laser displacement meter that measures the height of the keyboard by irradiating the keyboard with laser light and scans the laser light relative to the keyboard;
According to the irradiation position of the laser beam, an acquisition unit that acquires the height;
A key top size inspection device comprising: a calculation unit that calculates a key top size of the keyboard based on the acquired height. Along with the scanning of the laser light, comprising an output unit that outputs a periodic signal,
The acquisition unit acquires the height for each period of the periodic signal,
The said calculating part calculates the product of the frequency | count that the height more than predetermined value continued among the acquired heights, and the wavelength of the said periodic signal as said keytop size, It is characterized by the above-mentioned. The key top size inspection device described.   The laser displacement meter measures the height along at least one of a first direction and a second direction intersecting with the first direction. 2. The key top size inspection device according to 2.   4. The key top size inspection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a computer including the acquisition unit and the calculation unit and connected to the laser displacement meter. 5. An AD converter included in the computer for converting height data output from the laser displacement meter from analog data to digital data;
The key top size inspection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the digital data. A computer including the calculation unit;
4. The key top size inspection device according to claim 1, further comprising: a circuit connected to the laser displacement meter and the computer and including the acquisition unit. 5. An AD converter that is included in the circuit and converts the height data output by the laser displacement meter from analog data to digital data;
The key top size inspection apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the digital data.

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