JPH09113857A - Liquid crystal panel lighting mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve reliability and workability by ensuring contact between an electrode pad and a probe in a lighting inspection process of a liquid crystal panel. SOLUTION: In an inspection device for the liquid crystal panel 1 with which after an alignment mark position on the liquid crystal panel 1 is adjusted by a photographing means and a position adjustment means, plural electrode pads of the liquid crystal panel 1 are made contact collectively with a probing substrate 2, and a signal is inputted, and a lighting inspection is performed, this mechanism is constituted so that the probing substrate 2 and an alignment camera 4 being the photographing means are integrated on a mother board 5 to be fixed. Further, the mechanism is constituted so that an optical means bending an optical axis in the optional direction is provided on the lens tip part of the alignment camera 4 being the photographing means of the alignment mark of the liquid crystal panel 1, and a photographing position is decided. Thus, positional deviation between the probing substrate 2 and the alignment camera 4 is reduced, and the reliability and the workability are improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for a lighting inspection process of a liquid crystal panel, and more specifically to a liquid crystal which corrects a positional deviation with reference to a mark made on the liquid crystal panel and performs reliable lighting by highly accurate probing. The present invention relates to a panel lighting mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of inspecting a liquid crystal panel before mounting a lighting IC in a liquid crystal panel manufacturing process, a lighting signal is externally input to make a lighting state similar to a use state and a liquid crystal panel product is manufactured. There is a method to judge pass / fail. As one of the lighting mechanisms in such an inspection device, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-11
Similar to the electrical inspection apparatus for a panel in 3462, a method is adopted in which a probe is collectively brought into contact with each electrode pad of the panel and a lighting signal is input.

A conventional general structure will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. As shown in FIG. 3, the liquid crystal panel is formed by bonding two glass substrates 1a and 1b together,
A plurality of electrode pads 1 for inputting a lighting signal to the side
There is c. A probe 2a, which makes a one-to-one contact with the electrode pad 1c and inputs a panel drive signal, is held by the probing substrate 2 in units of each side. Each probe 2a is connected to a panel drive circuit 3 which outputs a panel drive signal by a wiring member 2b which is connected to the side opposite to the side in contact with the electrode pad 1c.

The panel drive circuit 3 is connected to a main control circuit 12 which controls the operation of the entire apparatus. The two alignment cameras 4 that take an image of the alignment mark 1e on the panel 1 include an image processing circuit 12a in the main control unit 50.
Connected to, the deviation amount between the current position of the imaged alignment mark 1e and the stored mark position at the optimum contact position is calculated, and the correction amounts in the X, Y, and θ directions of the panel 1 are calculated. ing. The panel lighting unit 30 is configured as described above.

Next, the structure of the panel positioning unit 40 will be described. Below the panel 1, there is a suction board 7 for fixing the panel 1 by vacuum suction, and suction is performed from a factory vacuum source 14 (or vacuum pump) by a solenoid valve. 13a,
This is done via the vacuum switch 13b. The solenoid valve 13a and the vacuum switch 13b are both connected to the main control circuit 12. The backlight 8 as a confirmation light source that illuminates the light deflected from the bottom surface of the panel is supplied with power from the switching power supply 15. Since the XYθ table 9 is controlled by NC,
A driver 16 for driving is connected to each of the three axes,
It is controlled by the control circuit 12. Furthermore, Z table 10
Similarly, a driver 17 is connected and controlled by the control circuit 12.

Further, the control circuit 12 and the image processing circuit 1
The main control unit 50 includes the driver 2a, the driver 16 and the driver 17.

Next, the overall structure and operation of the conventional liquid crystal panel inspection apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. First, in the panel lighting unit 30, the tips of the plurality of probes 2a connected to the panel drive circuit 3 are attached to the motherboard 5 by the probing substrate 2 so that the tips of the probes 2a are arranged on all of the electrode pads 1c of the panel 1. There is. Below that, panel 1
Is sucked and fixed by negative pressure, and the light of the backlight 8 is transmitted from the back surface of the panel display portion. Therefore, the suction board 7 in which the panel display area is hollowed is mounted on the backlight 8 of the display confirmation light source of the panel 1. Has been.

Below that, XYθ is moved by NC control in the X, Y, and θ (rotation) directions to correct the panel position.
There is a table 9, a standby position where the panel 1 is delivered to the outside, an alignment position where an alignment camera 4 described later can recognize an alignment mark on the panel 1, and the electrode pad 1c is pressed against the probe 2a at a specified pressure. In order to move in the Z direction to the contact position to be pressed by, the panel positioning unit 40 including the Z table 10 that is moved by NC control is fixed to the device frame 20.

The panel lighting unit 30 is fixed on the panel positioning portion by a mounting frame 6.
Further, in order to capture an image of the alignment mark 1e on the panel 1 on the upper part of the panel lighting unit 30, two alignment cameras 4 are fixed to the device frame 21 by a mounting stay 22 whose position can be adjusted.

In the panel lighting method, first, when the panel positioning unit 40 is at the standby position, the panel 1 is supplied onto the suction board 7 and suction-held. Next, Z table 10
The alignment position (alignment camera 4 is on panel 1
(The position where the alignment mark 1e can be recognized). In this state, the alignment camera 4 recognizes the two mark positions of the alignment mark 1e on the panel 1. Based on the data, the deviation amount from the position of the alignment mark 1e when the probe 2a stored in advance is at the proper position of the panel electrode pad 1c is calculated, and the XYθ table 9 is used to eliminate the deviation amount. To move.

Z table 1 after alignment is completed
0 is raised to a position where the probe 2a and the electrode pad 1c are in contact with each other. When the panel lighting preparation is completed as described above, and then an inspection for checking the lighting state of the panel is performed, a signal is output from the panel drive circuit 3 to turn on the panel, a visual inspection by an operator, or an inspection camera 18 is arranged. The inspection is performed by image processing means or the like.

When the setup is changed by changing the specifications of the panel 1, the suction board 7 of the panel positioning unit 40 and the panel lighting unit 30 are exchanged. After that, the position of the alignment camera 4 is adjusted to a position where the probe 2a and the electrode pad 1c of the new panel are surely contacted, the position of the alignment camera 4 is adjusted to the position of the alignment mark 1e at that position, and the mark position data is rewritten.

In recent years, liquid crystal panels have become larger and more highly accurate, and there is a demand for higher accuracy in probing for an increase in the number of electrode pads 1c and a narrower pitch, and a shorter adjustment time when changing models. However, in the above-described conventional lighting mechanism, the probing substrate 2 that holds the probe is used.
Since the alignment cameras 4 for aligning the panel electrode pads 1c are individually fixed to different members, there are the following problems.

[0014]

Since there are many components such as a backlight and a motor that generate heat around the panel, an unstable and non-uniform temperature environment is created, and the alignment camera is affected by the expansion and contraction of peripheral parts. As a result, the mounting member of the motherboard is deformed, and as a result, the position of each part is displaced, which may cause the displacement of the probing position.

Further, since the vibration and the unbalanced load of the apparatus are separately transmitted to the alignment camera mounting portion and the panel lighting unit mounting portion, the mounting members of the alignment camera and the mother board are deformed, and as a result, each portion is There is a possibility that the probing position will be displaced due to the displacement.

Further, it takes a lot of time to adjust the positions of the probe and the panel electrode pad when the setup is changed due to the change of the production panel, and it is necessary to register the alignment data again.

[0017]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and a plurality of electrodes of the liquid crystal panel are adjusted after the alignment mark position on the liquid crystal panel is adjusted by the image pickup means and the position adjusting means. In a liquid crystal panel inspecting apparatus for inspecting lighting by inputting a signal by bringing a pad and a probing board into contact with each other at a time, a probing board and a camera section which is an image pickup means are integrally fixed to one motherboard.

Further, an optical means for bending an optical axis in an arbitrary direction is provided at a lens tip end of an alignment camera which is a photographing means for photographing the alignment mark of the liquid crystal panel so that a photographing region can be determined. Solve the problem.

Since the alignment camera and the probing board are integrally fixed on the mother board against the temperature change around the panel lighting unit, the positional deviation between them is only the displacement within the mother board. . Therefore, even if there is a positional deviation in the peripheral part, it does not directly affect the deviation between the two parts, and even if alignment is performed in this state, there is no relative positional deviation between the panel and the probe position, Improves reliability.

As to the positional deviation due to vibration and eccentric load, since the alignment camera and the probing board are fixed integrally on the mother board as described above, there is no relative positional deviation between them. Reliability for probing operation is improved.

In the setup change, a panel lighting unit and a suction board are prepared for each panel specification, the probe position is adjusted to an appropriate position only for the first time, and the alignment mark position data at that position is stored. Since only the unit is changed and the data is changed, the position adjustment on the device is unnecessary. Therefore, the time during which the apparatus is stopped by the setup change can be greatly shortened, and the influence on the production can be minimized. In addition, it can be shared with other devices having the same specifications and can be reused.

[0022]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The panel 1 is usually provided with electrode pads 1c on a plurality of sides of its outer periphery as shown in FIG. To light the entire panel 1, the electrode pad 1c
Since it is necessary to input a drive signal to all of the above, a plurality of probes 2a, which are means for inputting a signal, are arranged on the probing substrate 2 so that they can make one-to-one contact with the electrode pads 1c. Further, since the probing substrate 2 is located on the electrode pad 1c, it has a shape that does not interfere with the alignment camera 4 on the mark used for actual alignment among the alignment marks 1e on the panel 1.

The alignment camera 4 positions the panel 1 by looking at the two alignment marks 1e. However, the larger the distance between the marks is, the less the correction value calculation error is. It is desirable to use the items as a set. Further, as the alignment camera and the probing board are fixed integrally on the motherboard as described above, it is not necessary to adjust the position to correspond to one type of panel specifications, so the mounting part is simplified. The probing substrates 2 can be directly attached as close to each other as possible. As a result, the elements related to the positional displacement between the probing substrate 2 and the alignment camera 4 are reduced, the accuracy at the time of contact is improved, the panel lighting unit 30 can be downsized as a whole, and the replacement is ready. It is a thing.

Due to the above-mentioned features, FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which a small mirror 4c is attached on the optical axis of the tip of the optical lens 4b attached to the tip of the camera 4a. In this example, by bending the optical axis by 90 °, it is possible to fix the unit in parallel with and close to the mother board 5, and therefore, the fixing member can be made small and simple, thereby improving the mounting reliability against positional deviation. Contribute. Also,
It is possible to reduce the size of the tip portion to the size of only the mirror 4c member, and to attach it between the probing substrates 2 that are closely attached. Further, the present example can be applied to a panel having a configuration in which the alignment mark 1e is relatively close to the electrode pad 1c, which enables effective inspection.

The panel lighting means is attached to the side of the probing substrate 2 where the panel driving circuit 3 for outputting a panel driving signal is connected to each probe 2a of the probing substrate 2 by the wiring member 2b as in the conventional case.

The panel lighting unit 30 described above is also used.
Is fixed to and integrated with a mother board 5, which is hollowed out so that the panel display portion can be seen at the center.

Further, the panel lighting unit 30 fixed to the mother board 5 is roughly positioned and fixed to the mounting frame 6 via the mother board 5 by positioning pins. In addition, devices that require wiring are connected to each other via connectors, and in the case of setup change, by removing each connector and then replacing the motherboard 5, it is possible to easily and quickly perform the process.

[0028]

According to the lighting method of the present invention, the probing failure due to the contact position deviation due to external conditions is eliminated, and the reliability of lighting is improved, so that the reliability of the inspection process is improved. Further, by shortening the setup change time, it is possible to improve the productivity, especially for the production of a wide variety of products in small quantities.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a liquid crystal panel lighting device according to the present invention,
(A) is a top view thereof, and (b) is a side view thereof.

FIG. 2 is an image pickup apparatus used in the present invention, in which (a) is a top view thereof and (b) is a side view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a liquid crystal panel, (a)
Is a top view thereof, and (b) is a side view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an operation control system of the liquid crystal panel lighting device.

FIG. 5 is a conventional liquid crystal panel lighting device (a)
Is a top view thereof, and (b) is a side view thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 panel 1a, 1b glass substrate 1c electrode pad 1d alignment mark 2 probing substrate 2a probe 2b wiring material 3 panel drive circuit 4 alignment camera 4a camera 4b optical lens 4c mirror 5 motherboard 6 mounting frame 7 suction board 8 backlight 9 XYθ table 10 Z table 12 Main control circuit 12a Image processing circuit 13a Solenoid valve 13b Vacuum switch 14 Factory vacuum source 15 Switching power supply 16, 17 Driver 18 Inspection camera 20 Device mount 21 Device frame 22 Mounting stay 30 Panel lighting unit 40 Panel positioning unit 50 Main control unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An alignment mark position on a liquid crystal panel is adjusted by an image pickup means and a position adjusting means, and then a plurality of electrode pads of the liquid crystal panel and a probing substrate are brought into contact with each other at a time to input a signal for a lighting inspection. In the liquid crystal panel inspection device, the liquid crystal panel lighting mechanism is characterized in that the probing substrate and the camera unit as the image pickup means are integrally fixed to one motherboard. 2. An optical means for bending an optical axis in an arbitrary direction is provided at a lens tip portion of an alignment camera which is a means for photographing an alignment mark of the liquid crystal panel. LCD panel lighting mechanism.