JPH07199138A - Automatic inspection device for liquid crystal panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate variance caused by differences among individuals as inspectors and to enhance the capability of detection with reference to an initial defect in reliability of a liquid crystal panel by automating the inspection. CONSTITUTION:After the liquid crystal panel 7 with a driving IC mounted is set, the panel 7 is illuminated by a back light illuminator 6 from the behind, then, an inspection pattern is displayed by a liquid crystal display pattern driving device 3. The display pattern is recognized by a recognition camera 4, but, whether the illumination by the back light is appropriate or not is analyzed and processed by a recognition data processing part 31, and in the case that the illumination is not appropriate, a power supply device 33 is controlled by a control part 32 so that the illumination may become the optimum one based on a signal from the recognition data processing part 31.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal panel automatic inspection apparatus for automatically displaying a display pattern on a large liquid crystal panel after mounting a driving IC using mechanical equipment and evaluating the quality of the display pattern. It is about.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, liquid crystal display panels have become larger in size and higher in definition, and strict demands have been made on their display quality, so that evaluation of display image quality has become important.

A conventional liquid crystal panel automatic inspection apparatus will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 shows the structure of a conventional liquid crystal panel automatic inspection device, and FIG. 5 shows the outline of a manual light amount adjustment system. The mobile robot 1 conveys the liquid crystal panel 7 and stops it at each of the carry-in, inspection, and carry-out positions. On the moving stage 2 installed on the moving robot 1, a pin control unit 20 (rough control of panel and a mechanism for holding the panel in the robot moving direction) required for panel inspection, a contact control unit 21, a contact unit 5, and a panel holding unit. 22, a backlight illumination device 6 and a power source device 12 for backlight illumination that adjusts the amount of light by a manual volume 13. A liquid crystal display pattern driving device 3 is provided in the vicinity of the mobile robot 1, and the displayed pattern is recognized by a recognition camera 4 having recognition software installed above the moving stage 2. The liquid crystal panel 7 after the driving IC is mounted is illuminated by the backlight illumination device 6 from behind. The liquid crystal panel 7 is connected to the liquid crystal display pattern driving device 3 and the control measurement / inspection unit 8 via the contact portion 5. With the above configuration, the liquid crystal panel continuity display inspection is automatically performed.

[0004]

However, in such a conventional liquid crystal panel automatic inspection device, after adjusting the light amount of the backlight illumination device 6 by the manual volume 13 of the power supply device 12 as shown in FIG. A person looks at the control output 17 of the tested recognition data 16 by turning on the panel 7 and trial and error whether the illumination is too dark or too bright for the camera to determine the optimum light amount value. There was variation.

Further, in the conventional liquid crystal panel automatic inspection device, when the liquid crystal panel after the driving IC is mounted is incorporated into an actual set, the temperature rise due to the backlight illumination (50 to 6).
Due to the influence of (0 ° C.), streak defects (due to poor adhesion of anisolum, defective IC, etc.) due to temperature increase (about 60 ° C.) of the TAB anisorum part and the IC part in the TAB cannot be detected.

Further, in the conventional liquid crystal panel automatic inspection device, due to incomplete soldering of the TAB, etc., it occurs at the time of bending (post-process) when the liquid crystal panel after mounting the driving IC is incorporated into the actual set. There was a problem that streak defects due to the stress caused could not be detected early.

The present invention solves such a problem, and the automation of the liquid crystal panel automatic inspection device in consideration of variations due to individual differences in inspection and the detection power for initial reliability failure of the liquid crystal panel. It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal panel automatic inspection device for improving the liquid crystal panel.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the liquid crystal panel automatic inspection apparatus of the present invention is a moving stage for carrying and stopping a liquid crystal panel having a driving IC mounted thereon at each of inspection and unloading positions. , A liquid crystal display pattern driving device for driving a display pattern on the liquid crystal panel set at the inspection position, a backlight illuminating device for irradiating light from behind the liquid crystal panel, and an electronic device whose output voltage is variable by an electric input signal. A power supply device having a built-in volume for supplying power to the backlight illumination device, a recognition camera for visually recognizing a display pattern of a liquid crystal panel, a recognition data processing unit for processing an output of the recognition camera, and this recognition data processing unit. And a control unit for controlling the power supply device so as to optimize the illuminance based on the signal from.

Further, in addition to the above structure, a warm air blowing nozzle for blowing warm air to the TAB anisolum portion of the liquid crystal panel set at the inspection position and a warm air suction portion are provided.

Further, in the above structure, a small exciter or a small hammer for vibrating the receiving portion of the TAB substrate of the liquid crystal panel set at the inspection position, and a power supply device for the small exciter or the small hammer. On the other hand, a control unit for instructing a timing that can be recognized by the recognition unit is provided.

[0011]

According to the above construction, the recognition data processing unit analyzes whether the backlight illumination is suitable for the recognition camera, and the control unit automatically controls the power supply device based on the result. Therefore, variations due to individual differences in inspection do not occur.

Further, since the apparatus for blowing warm air is provided, it becomes possible to detect streak defects due to temperature rise.

Further, since vibration is applied to cause contact failure such as TAB soldering failure, streak failure due to stress during bending in a subsequent process can be detected early.

[0014]

Embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of one embodiment of the present invention.
The same parts as those in the conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals, and
33 is a power supply device of the backlight illumination device 6 in which an electronic volume (the output voltage is variable according to an electrical input signal) is built in, 31 is a recognition data processing unit for analyzing the output of the recognition camera 4, 32 is recognition data processing A power supply device for optimizing the light amount of the backlight lighting device 6 based on the signal from the unit 31.
A control unit for controlling 33.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The liquid crystal panel 7 set at the inspection position is illuminated with backlight from behind, and the liquid crystal display pattern driving device 3 displays the inspection pattern. The displayed pattern is recognized by the recognition camera 4 installed above. The signal from the recognition camera 4 is sent to the recognition data processing unit 31, where the recognition data processing unit 31 analyzes whether the illumination is too dark or too bright for the camera. , The control unit 32 to optimize the illumination degree based on the result.
Controls the power supply 33.

In this embodiment having the above-described structure, appropriate backlight illumination is always applied, and therefore,
There are no variations due to individual differences in the inspection.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The TA of the liquid crystal panel 7 is added to the structure of the first embodiment.
Warm air blowing nozzle 36 that blows warm air to the B anisorum section 35
And a warm air suction unit 37 for sucking the blown warm air. In FIG. 2, 38 and 41
Is a heater, and 39 and 42 are temperature control parts. In this embodiment having such a configuration, it becomes possible to detect streak defects due to the temperature rise of the liquid crystal panel 7.

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the structure of the first embodiment, vibration is applied to the receiving portion of the TAB substrate 45 of the liquid crystal panel 7 set at the inspection position. For the small exciter 46 or the small hammer 47 for giving and the power supply device 49 of the small exciter 46 or the small hammer 47, the control unit 48 for instructing the timing that the recognition unit can recognize.
And are provided. The control unit 48 takes out the timing from the power supply device 49 and instructs the timing to take it into the recognition unit at the time when the influence of vibration is transmitted to the panel.
As a result, it becomes possible to early detect streak defects due to stress that is generated during bending when the liquid crystal panel after the driving IC is mounted in the actual set is assembled due to incomplete soldering of the TAB or the like.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The light quantity of the backlight illumination is determined by the recognition unit, and the power supply device is controlled by this to ensure that the illumination is always appropriate. Correct inspections can be carried out without variations due to differences.

Further, since the hot air blowing device is provided, it becomes possible to detect streak defects due to temperature rise.

Further, by applying vibration, the TAB
It is possible to detect the streak defect due to the stress at the time of bending in the subsequent process due to the defective soldering.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a device provided with a warm air blowing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a device provided with a small-sized vibration applying means according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a conventional liquid crystal panel automatic inspection device.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a conventional manual light amount adjustment system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Mobile robot, 2 ... Moving stage, 3 ... Liquid crystal display pattern driving device, 4 ... Recognition camera, 6 ... Backlight illumination device, 7 ... Liquid crystal panel, 31 ... Recognition data processing unit, 32, 48 ... Control unit, 33 , 49 ... Power supply, 35 ...
TAB anisolum part, 36 ... Warm air blowing nozzle, 37 ... Warm air suction part, 45 ... TAB substrate, 46 ... Small vibrator, 47
… A small hammer.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A moving stage for carrying and stopping a liquid crystal panel mounted with a driving IC carried in by a mobile robot capable of in-line testing at each position of testing and carrying out, and a liquid crystal panel set at a testing position. A liquid crystal display pattern driving device for driving and displaying a display pattern on the display, and a backlight illuminating device for irradiating light from behind the liquid crystal panel,
A power supply device having a built-in electronic volume whose output voltage is variable according to an electric input signal and supplying power to the backlight lighting device, a recognition camera for visually recognizing a display pattern of a liquid crystal panel, and an output of the recognition camera. An automatic inspection device for a liquid crystal panel, comprising: a recognition data processing unit; and a control unit for controlling the power supply device so as to optimize the illumination degree based on a signal from the recognition data processing unit. 2. The T of the liquid crystal panel set at the inspection position.
The liquid crystal panel automatic inspection device according to claim 1, further comprising a warm air blowing nozzle that blows warm air to the AB anisorm portion and a warm air suction portion. 3. The T of the liquid crystal panel set at the inspection position.
A small exciter or a small hammer for applying vibration to the receiving portion of the AB board, and a control unit for instructing a power supply device of the small exciter or the small hammer at a timing that the recognition unit can recognize. The liquid crystal panel automatic inspection device according to claim 1.