JPH05119336A - Display testing device for liquid crystal display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a display testing device having a means which can easily connect a control circuit transmitting a testing signal with an electrode on glass substrates which are arrayed by excessively narrow intervals at the time of the display test of a liquid crystal, display panel concerning the testing device where various kinds of testing signals are impressed on the liquid crystal display panel to be tested so as to test a display characteristic. CONSTITUTION:The device is constituted in such a way that a relaying panel 4 is provided with plural metal protrusions 42 which are brought into contact with the electrode 12 of the liquid crystal display panel 1 at the time of the display test and with the conductor pattern 43 which impresses the signal on the electrode 12 via the metal protrusions 42 on the same surface of the substrate 41 and a conductor pattern 43 is connected, to a control circuit 3 with a connector 6 mounted on one end of the substrate 41.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a test apparatus for applying various test signals to a liquid crystal display panel under test to test display characteristics, and particularly to electrodes on a liquid crystal display panel arranged at extremely narrow intervals. It relates to a means for applying a test signal.

In a liquid crystal display panel in which a semiconductor integrated circuit is directly mounted on a glass substrate, when a test signal is input from the outside and a display test is performed, the number of signal input electrodes is small and the distance between them is relatively wide, so that it is relatively large. The test probe can be easily contacted.

However, when performing a display test on a liquid crystal display panel in which a semiconductor integrated circuit is mounted by, for example, the TAB method, the number of signal input electrodes formed on a glass substrate is large and the intervals between them are narrow. The contact of the test probe is extremely difficult.

Therefore, in the display test of such a liquid crystal display panel, a display test apparatus having means for easily connecting a control circuit for sending a test signal to electrodes on a glass substrate arranged at extremely narrow intervals is developed. Is desired.

[0005]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a main part of a conventional display test apparatus. In the figure, a conventional display test apparatus comprises a liquid crystal display panel mounting portion 2 for mounting a liquid crystal display panel 1 to be tested and a control circuit 3, and a glass substrate 11 constituting the liquid crystal display panel 1 is arranged at a predetermined pitch. A plurality of electrodes 12 are formed.

The liquid crystal display panel mounting portion 2 is a probe support frame which is vertically movable along a fixed shaft 21 arranged at a predetermined position.
A plurality of test probes 23 each having 22 and connected to the control circuit 3 are planted in the probe support frame 22 in accordance with the arrangement pitch of the electrodes 12.

When the liquid crystal display panel 1 to be tested according to a positioning mechanism (not shown) is mounted on the liquid crystal display panel mounting portion 2 and the probe supporting frame 22 is lowered, the test probe 23 implanted in the probe supporting frame 22. The stylus touches the corresponding electrode 12 at the same time.

[0008]

However, the test probe used for connecting the control circuit to the electrode in the conventional display test apparatus has a large outer diameter, and such test probes are arranged in two rows in a staggered manner, for example. However, there is a limit to the number that can be planted in the probe support frame.

However, recent liquid crystal display panels are required to have high quality display, so that the number of electrodes is increased and the array pitch is becoming smaller and smaller. That is, there is a problem that a test probe having a large outer diameter cannot be used as a means for connecting the control circuit to the electrode.

An object of the present invention is to provide a display test including means for easily connecting a control circuit for sending a test signal to electrodes on a glass substrate arranged at extremely narrow intervals in a display test of a liquid crystal display panel. To provide a device.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a main part of a display test apparatus according to the present invention. Note that the same object is denoted by the same symbol throughout the drawings.

The above-mentioned problem comprises a plurality of metal protrusions 42 which are brought into contact with the electrodes 12 of the liquid crystal display panel 1 in a display test on the same surface of the substrate 41, and a conductor pattern 43 which applies a signal to the electrodes 12 through the metal protrusions 42. Has a relay panel 4 and
This is achieved by the display test apparatus of the present invention in which the conductor pattern 43 of the relay panel 4 is connected to the control circuit 3 for sending a test signal via the connector 6 attached to one end of the substrate 41.

[0013]

In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, there is provided a relay panel having a plurality of metal protrusions on the same surface of a substrate for contacting electrodes of a liquid crystal display panel in a display test, and a conductor pattern for applying a signal to the electrodes through the metal protrusions. The display tester can reduce the space occupied by metal protrusions and conductor patterns, and can be arranged in two rows in a zigzag pattern, or by arranging in three or four rows to increase the number of electrodes. A control circuit can be easily connected to a liquid crystal display panel with a small pitch.

That is, in the display test of the liquid crystal display panel, the electrodes on the glass substrate arranged with an extremely narrow interval,
It is possible to realize a display test apparatus including means for easily connecting a control circuit for sending a test signal.

In addition, by connecting the conductor pattern of the relay panel to the control circuit through the connector mounted on one end of the substrate, the relay panel can be replaced, and the liquid crystal display panel having a different number of electrodes and a different arrangement pitch can be used. Display tests are also possible.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a modification of the display test apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a plan view showing yet another embodiment of the present invention. Is.

In FIG. 1 (a), the display test apparatus according to the present invention comprises a liquid crystal display panel mounting portion 2 for mounting a liquid crystal display panel 1 to be tested and a control circuit 3, and a glass substrate 11 constituting the liquid crystal display panel 1. Are formed with a plurality of electrodes 12 arranged at a predetermined pitch.

The liquid crystal display panel mounting portion 2 is a probe support frame which is vertically movable along a fixed shaft 21 arranged at a predetermined position.
A plurality of relay panels 4 for fixing the control circuit 3 to the electrodes 12 of the liquid crystal display panel 1 are fixed to the probe support frame 24.

The relay panel 4 is a substrate 41 as shown in FIG. 1 (b).
And a metal protrusion 42 and a conductor pattern 43 provided on the same surface of the substrate 41, and the metal protrusion 42 is a substrate made of ceramic or the like.
The electrodes are arranged in one or more rows along the side 41 according to the arrangement pitch of the electrodes 12.

Further, the conductor pattern 43 is connected to the control circuit 3 via the card-edge type connector 6 fitted on one side of the substrate 41.
The test signal input to the electrode 12 of the liquid crystal display panel 1 is applied to the metal protrusion 42 via the connector 6 and the conductor pattern 43.

When the liquid crystal display panel 1 to be tested according to a positioning mechanism (not shown) is mounted on the liquid crystal display panel mounting portion 2 and the probe support frame 24 is lowered, the relay panel 4 fixed to the probe support frame 24 The metal protrusions 42 simultaneously contact the corresponding electrodes 12.

The metal projection 42 may be formed in the shape of a contact in advance as shown in FIG. 1 (c) and fixed to the conductor pattern 43, or may be implanted in the substrate 41 as shown in FIG. 1 (d). Further, it may be a wire-shaped member fixed to the conductor pattern 43.

In a modification of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the relay panel 5 includes a substrate 41, metal protrusions 42 and conductor patterns.
43, and the metal protrusion 42 is a substrate 41 made of ceramic or the like.
1 row or 2 according to the arrangement pitch of the electrodes 12 along the side of
It is arranged in more than one column.

However, unlike the relay panel 4 in the above-described embodiment, the conductor pattern 43 is formed on a surface different from the metal protrusion 42 of the substrate 41, and the corresponding metal protrusion 42 and conductor pattern 43 penetrate the substrate 41, respectively. It is connected through the through hole 44.

It should be noted that the metal protrusions 42 formed in advance in the shape of a contact are arranged on the substrate 41 and the conductor pattern is formed through the through holes 44.
Although it is connected to the wiring 43, it is also possible to implant a wire-shaped metal protrusion 42 on the substrate 41 and solder one end thereof to the conductor pattern 43 as shown in FIG.

In this way, a relay panel having a plurality of metal protrusions on the same surface or different surfaces of the substrate for contacting the electrodes of the liquid crystal display panel in the display test and a conductor pattern for applying a signal to the electrodes via the metal protrusions is provided. The display test apparatus according to the present invention has a space for occupying metal protrusions and conductor patterns and can be arranged in two rows in a zigzag pattern, or by arranging in three rows or four rows to increase the number of electrodes. Therefore, the control circuit can be easily connected to the liquid crystal display panel whose array pitch has become smaller.

In FIG. 3, another embodiment of the present invention is that the relay panel 7 has a metal projection 42 and a conductor pattern 45 provided on the same surface or different surfaces of the substrate 41, and the liquid crystal display panel 1 is based on an input signal. The semiconductor integrated circuit 8 for driving the circuit is mounted on the conductor pattern 45.

The input side of the conductor pattern 45 is connected to the control circuit 3 via the connector 6 fitted on one side of the substrate 41, and the test signal output from the control circuit 3 is the connector 6 and the conductor pattern 45. Is input to the semiconductor integrated circuit 8 through the input side of.

The metal protrusion 42 is a substrate 41 made of ceramic or the like.
1 row or 2 according to the arrangement pitch of the electrodes 12 along the side of
Signals output from the semiconductor integrated circuit 8 arranged in rows or more are applied to the corresponding metal protrusions 42 via the output side of the conductor pattern 45.

By mounting the semiconductor integrated circuit for driving the liquid crystal display panel on the conductor pattern of the relay panel as described above, the control circuit can be easily connected to the liquid crystal display panel in which the number of electrodes is increased and the arrangement pitch is reduced. As a result, the number of wires connecting the control circuit and the relay panel is reduced, and the connector fitted on the board can be downsized.

For example, electrodes in a liquid crystal display panel in which a driving semiconductor integrated circuit is mounted by a TAB method or the like are generally formed by grouping electrodes connected to one flexible printed board as a group and providing an appropriate gap between the groups. There is. Therefore, each of the relay panels described above is configured so that the group of electrodes can be connected as a unit.

As shown in FIG. 4, a relay panel 9 according to still another embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of relay panels corresponding to the relay panel 7 integrated with each other and is fitted to one side of a substrate 41.
A plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits 8 are connected to the control circuit 3 via the individual connectors 6.

In this way, a plurality of relay panels are integrated into one unit.
By connecting the plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits to the control circuit via the individual connectors, the number of wires connecting the control circuit and the relay panel is reduced, and the connector fitted on the substrate can be further downsized.

That is, in the display test of the liquid crystal display panel, the electrodes on the glass substrate arranged with an extremely narrow interval,
It is possible to realize a display test apparatus including means for easily connecting a control circuit for sending a test signal.

In addition, by connecting the conductor pattern of the relay panel to the control circuit through the connector mounted on one end of the substrate, the relay panel can be replaced and liquid crystal display panels having different numbers of electrodes and arrangement pitches can be used. Display tests are also possible.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, means for easily connecting a control circuit for sending a test signal to the electrodes on the glass substrate arranged at a very narrow interval in the display test of the liquid crystal display panel. It is possible to provide a display test device including the above.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a main part of a display test apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a modified example of the display test apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a main part of a conventional display test apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 liquid crystal display panel 2 liquid crystal display panel mounting portion 3 control circuit 4, 5, 7, 9 relay panel 6 connector 8 semiconductor integrated circuit 11 glass substrate 12 electrode 21 fixed shaft 24 probe support frame 41 substrate 42 metal protrusion 43, 45 conductor pattern 44 through hole

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of metal projections (42) which are brought into contact with electrodes (12) of a liquid crystal display panel (1) during a display test on the same surface of a substrate (41), and the electrodes through the metal projections (42). A relay panel (4) having a conductor pattern (43) for applying a signal to (12), and the relay panel (4) via a connector (6) attached to one end of the substrate (41). The display test device for a liquid crystal display panel, wherein the conductor pattern (43) is connected to a control circuit (3) for sending a test signal. 2. A plurality of metal projections (42) to be brought into contact with the electrodes (12) of the liquid crystal display panel (1) in a display test on different surfaces of the substrate (41), and the electrodes through the metal projections (42). Relay panel (5) with conductor pattern (43) for applying signal to (12)
And the conductor pattern (43) of the relay panel (5) via a connector (6) attached to one end of the substrate (41) is connected to a control circuit (3) for sending a test signal. A display test device for a liquid crystal display panel, which is connected. 3. The display test apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the conductor pattern (43) on the substrate (41) comprises:
A display test apparatus for a liquid crystal display panel, characterized in that a semiconductor integrated circuit (8) is mounted.