KR101269443B1 - Apparatus for testing and repairing of substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

A substrate inspection and repair apparatus is disclosed. In the substrate inspection and repair apparatus according to the present invention, the substrate is supported and fixed to the inspection unit, and the probe of the inspection unit is connected to or disconnected from the electrode line of the substrate while the probe of the inspection unit is lifted from the lower side of the substrate. That is, since a probe having a small size and a small volume is lifted and the probe is installed inside the inspection unit, the installation space of the substrate inspection and repair apparatus is reduced. In addition, since no expensive apparatus for moving the substrate is required, the cost is reduced.

Description

Board Inspection and Repair Devices {APPARATUS FOR TESTING AND REPAIRING OF SUBSTRATE}

The present invention relates to a substrate inspection and repair apparatus capable of turning on and inspecting a substrate and repairing defects found after the inspection.

A flat panel display is roughly classified into a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, and an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display.

OLED display has the advantages of low voltage driving, high luminous efficiency, wide viewing angle, fast response speed, etc., has been spotlighted as the next-generation flat panel display capable of displaying high-quality video.

An OLED display is a structure in which an organic thin film layer that emits itself is formed between a cathode, which is a transparent electrode such as ITO, and a cathode formed of a metal having a low work function. Thus, when a forward voltage is applied to the electrode, holes and electrons are injected into the organic thin film layer at the anode and the cathode, respectively, and the injected holes and electrons are combined to form an exciton. The excitons then recombine to cause electroluminescence.

Among the manufacturing processes of the OLED display, there are an inspection process and a repair process. The inspection process supplies power to the anode line and the cathode line formed on the substrate to inspect the defect of the substrate, and the repair process repairs the detected defect portion of the substrate with a laser.

In the manufacture of a flat panel display, a defect of a substrate is inspected by an inspection apparatus, and if there is a defect in the substrate, the substrate is transferred to a repair apparatus to repair a defective portion of the substrate. Then, the repaired substrate is retransmitted to the inspection apparatus for retest. That is, since the inspection apparatus and the repair apparatus are separately provided, the substrate must be transferred for inspection → repair → re-inspection of the substrate.

In order to solve the above problems, an inspection and repair apparatus having an integrated inspection apparatus and a repair apparatus has been developed.

However, in the conventional substrate inspection and repair apparatus, a probe is connected to the anode line and the cathode line of the substrate to supply power to the substrate, and the substrate is moved from the lower side to the upper side so that the anode line and the cathode of the substrate are fixed. Connect the line to the probe.

That is, in the conventional substrate inspection and repair apparatus, since the substrate is transferred, there is a disadvantage that a large installation space is required as it corresponds to the transfer space of the substrate.

In addition, since an expensive device for moving the substrate is required, the cost increases.

Prior art related to a substrate inspection and repair apparatus is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-0450194.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate inspection and repair apparatus that can reduce the installation space and at the same time cost.

A substrate inspection and repair apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above object, the table; An inspection unit installed on the table and supporting the substrate on which the anode line and the cathode line are formed and having a plurality of probes for supplying power to the substrate; A repair unit installed on the table so as to be transportable in an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction to repair a defective portion of the substrate, wherein the probe is positioned below the substrate, and is installed to be elevated and lowered to It is connected to or disconnected from the anode line and the cathode line.

In the substrate inspection and repair apparatus according to the present invention, the substrate is supported and fixed to the inspection unit, and the probe of the inspection unit is connected to or disconnected from the electrode line of the substrate while the probe of the inspection unit is lifted from the lower side of the substrate. That is, since a probe having a small size and a small volume is lifted and the probe is installed inside the inspection unit, the installation space of the substrate inspection and repair apparatus is reduced.

In addition, since no expensive apparatus for moving the substrate is required, the cost is reduced.

1 is a perspective view of a substrate inspection and repair apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the inspection unit shown in FIG.
Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the pressing plate shown in Figure 2 moved to the outside.
4 is an enlarged view of the "A" portion of FIG.
5 is a cross-sectional view of the probe shown in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings that illustrate specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention are mutually exclusive, but need not be mutually exclusive. For example, certain features, specific structures, and features described herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in connection with one embodiment. It is also to be understood that the position or arrangement of the individual components within each disclosed embodiment may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The following detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. The length, area, thickness, and shape of the embodiments shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for convenience.

Hereinafter, a substrate inspection and repair apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a perspective view of a substrate inspection and repair apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, the substrate inspection and repair apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a table 100, an inspection unit 200, and a repair unit 300.

The inspection unit 200 is installed on the upper surface of the table 100, and the substrate 50 is mounted and supported. The inspection unit 200 supplies power to the substrate 50 and then turns on each pixel of the substrate 50 to probe the presence of defects in the substrate 50 (see FIG. 4). Is installed. At this time, one side and the other edge portion of the substrate 50 is connected to the probe 261 and the positive and negative lines for supplying power are formed, respectively.

Hereinafter, the anode line and the cathode line formed on the substrate 50 are referred to as 'electrode lines'.

The repair unit 300 is installed on the table 100 so as to be transported in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction to repair a point defect portion or a line defect portion of the substrate 50.

The inspection unit 200 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the inspection unit shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a state that the pressing plate shown in Figure 2 moved to the outside, Figure 4 is an enlarged view "A" part of FIG.

As shown, the inspection unit 200 includes a stage 210 installed on the table 100 (see FIG. 1). On the central side of the stage 210, a first support block 220 having a longitudinal direction in the X-axis direction is installed, and the first support block 220 has a central portion of the substrate 50 (see FIG. 1) to be inspected or repaired. Is supported mounted.

The first clamping block 231 is installed in the first support block 220. The first clampers 231 are provided in pairs opposed to each other, one of which is installed at one end of the first support block 220, and the other of the first clampers 231 is installed at the other end of the first support block 220. The first clamper 231 supports one side and the other side of the substrate 50 facing in the X-axis direction while moving in a form of getting closer and farther from each other.

A motor 233 is installed on the first support block 220, a ball screw (not shown) is connected to the motor 233, and a first clamper 231 is installed on the ball screw. Therefore, when the ball screw is rotated forward and backward by the motor 233, the first clamper 231 linearly reciprocates along the ball screw.

The stage 210 is provided with a pair of second support blocks 240. The second support block 240 is installed on one side and the other stage 210 of the first support block 220 with the first support block 220 therebetween. That is, based on the first support block 220, one of the second support block 240 is installed in the (+) Y-axis direction, the other second support block 240 is (-) Y-axis Is installed in the direction.

The second support block 240 is also parallel to the first support block 220 while the longitudinal direction is in the X-axis direction. The second support block 240 is installed to be movable in the Y-axis direction to move closer to each other and to move away from each other, and one side and the other edge of the substrate 50 facing the Y-axis direction is supported.

The second support blocks 240 are respectively installed on the support plates 243, and the support rails 245 supporting the support plates 243 are respectively installed on the stage 210. The support plate 243 and the support rail 245 are connected to each other by an LM guide or the like, and the support plate 243 linearly moves along the support rail 245. Therefore, the second support block 240 moves in the form of getting closer to each other, that is, closer to and farther from the first support block 220.

Second clampers 251 are respectively installed on the second support blocks 240. A plurality of second clampers 251 are installed on one of the second support blocks 240 and the other second support block 240, respectively, and move in the Y-axis direction while moving together with the second support blocks 240. One side and the other side of the substrate 50 are supported.

Since the distance between the pair of mutually opposing first clampers 231 is variable, and the distance between the pair of mutually opposing pairs of second support blocks 240 provided with the second clampers 251 is variable, the substrate of various sizes 50 can be supported.

When the substrate 50 is for an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, power must be supplied through the electrode line to inspect whether the substrate 50 is defective.

To this end, the inspection unit 200 according to the present embodiment is provided with a plurality of probes 261 connected to the electrode lines of the substrate 50. The probe 261 is positioned below the substrate 50 mounted and supported on the inspection unit 200, and is installed to be elevated and connected to or disconnected from the electrode line of the substrate 50.

The probes 261 are respectively installed on the second support block 240 to move together with the second support block 240, and are mounted on the second support block 240 so as to be movable up and down. The lifting structure of the probe 261 will be described.

Lift plates 263 are respectively installed on the second support block 240, and support brackets 265 are detachably coupled to the lift plates 263, respectively. At this time, the lifting plate 263 is installed to be able to lift and lower with respect to the second support block 240 while moving with the second support block 240. Then, the support bracket 265 moves along with the lifting plate 263. The lifting plate 263 is lifted by a cylinder (not shown) or the like.

A plurality of probes 261 are installed in the support bracket 265, respectively. Accordingly, as the lifting plate 263 moves up and down, the support bracket 265 moves up and down, and the probe 261 moves up and down by the support bracket 265, thereby being connected or disconnected to the electrode line of the substrate 50. When power is supplied to the substrate 50 through the probe 261, a portion of the substrate 50 that does not emit light or a portion of the substrate 50 that does not implement a desired color is a defective portion.

Since the substrate 50 is supported and fixed to the inspection unit 200, and the probe 261 having a smaller size and volume than the substrate 50 is connected to or disconnected from the substrate 50 while lifting, the substrate according to the present embodiment The inspection and repair device can be installed in a relatively small space.

The rising distance of the probe 261 is appropriately controlled by a controller (not shown). However, if the probe 261 is fixed to the support bracket 265, and the force acting between the probe 261 and the substrate 50 is greater than or equal to a predetermined force when the probe 261 and the substrate 50 are connected to each other. The probe 261 may be damaged. In order to prevent this, the probe 261 is installed to be elevated relative to the support bracket 265. And, as shown in Figure 5, the support bracket 265 is provided with an elastic support member 267 to elastically support the probe 261 to the substrate 50 side.

Then, if the probe 261 continues to rise even though the probe 261 is connected to the substrate 50, the probe 261 is lowered downward, thereby preventing the probe 261 from being damaged. The probe 261 is firmly connected to the substrate 50 by the elastic support member 267.

When the probe 261 is raised and connected to the substrate 50, if the substrate 50 is raised by the probe 261, the probe 261 and the substrate 50 cannot be firmly connected. In order to prevent this, the inspection unit 200 according to the present embodiment is provided with a pressing plate 271 that is installed to be liftable and presses the substrate 50 downward.

The pressing plate 271 moves together with the second support block 240 and is installed to be liftable with respect to the second support block 240 to press the upper edge portion of the substrate 50 downward.

In detail, a support rail 273 is installed at the support plate 243, a horizontal support plate 275a is installed at the support rail 273, and a vertical support plate 275b is installed at the horizontal support plate 275a. In addition, the vertical support plate 275b is provided with a pressing plate 271 that is elevated by a cylinder (not shown) or the like.

Thus, when supported by the robot arm or the like and the substrate 50 is mounted and supported on the first and second support blocks 220 and 240, the first clamper 231 moves in a manner that comes closer to each other, and the second support block 240 ) Moves in a manner that comes closer to each other to support the substrate 50. In this state, when the pressing plate 271 descends and presses and supports the substrate 50, the probe 261 is raised and connected to the substrate 50. Therefore, the probe 261 is firmly connected to the substrate 50.

The horizontal support plate 275a is installed to be capable of linear movement in the Y-axis direction, which is closer to and farther away from the first support block 220 than the linear movement of the second support block 240. To this end, the support rail 273 and the horizontal support plate 275a are interconnected by the LM guide, and the horizontal support plate 275a is installed to be linearly movable along the support rail 273. Accordingly, the pressing plate 271 is also installed to be capable of linear movement independently of the linear movement of the second support block 240.

When the probe 261 is to be repaired or replaced, since the support bracket 265 in which the probe 261 is installed is detachably coupled to the second support block 240, as shown in FIG. 3, the horizontal support plate 275a ) Is moved to the outside of the first support block 220, the support bracket 265 may be replaced.

The support plate 243 is formed with a first stopper 243a and a second stopper 243b. The first stopper 243a limits the movement distance of the horizontal support plate 275a moving in a direction closer to the first support block 220, and the second stopper 243b is away from the first support block 220. Limit the movement distance of the horizontal support plate (275a) to move. That is, the first stopper 243a and the second stopper 243b limit the movement distance of the pressing plate 271 which is linearly moved by the horizontal support plate 275a.

In addition, the horizontal support plate 275a for linearly moving the pressing plate 271 is formed with a locking protrusion 275aa that is caught by the first stopper 243a or the second stopper 243b according to the linear movement direction of the horizontal support plate 275a. .

Reference numeral 261a in FIG. 5 is a wire for supplying power to the probe 261.

In the substrate inspection and repair apparatus according to the present embodiment, the substrate 50 is supported and fixed to the inspection unit 200, and the probe 261 of the inspection unit 200 is lifted from the lower side of the substrate 50. Is connected to or disconnected from the electrode line. That is, the probe 261 having a relatively smaller size and volume than the substrate 50 is moved up and down, and the probe 261 is installed inside the inspection unit 200, so that the probe 261 may be installed in a narrow space. In addition, since a separate device for moving the substrate 50 is not required, cost is reduced.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments as described above by way of example, it is not limited to the above embodiments and should be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Many variations and modifications are possible. Such variations and modifications are to be considered as falling within the scope of the invention and the appended claims.

100: table
200: inspection unit
161: probe
171: pressing plate
300: repair unit

Claims (9)

table;
An inspection unit installed on the table and supporting the substrate on which the anode line and the cathode line are formed and having a plurality of probes for supplying power to the substrate;
A repair unit installed on the table to be transportable in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction to repair a defective portion of the substrate;
The probe is positioned below the substrate, is installed to be elevated and connected to or disconnected from the anode line and the cathode line of the substrate,
And a plurality of pressing plates installed on the inspection unit to move up and down to press the upper edge portion of the substrate downward. The method of claim 1,
The inspection unit includes:
A stage installed on the table;
A first support block installed on the stage while the longitudinal direction thereof is directed in the X-axis direction, and on which a central portion of the substrate is mounted and supported;
It is installed on one side and the other side of the stage portion of the first support block with the first support block therebetween, the longitudinal direction is toward the X-axis direction, is installed so as to move in the Y-axis direction close to each other and away from each other A pair of second supporting blocks moving and supporting one side and the other edge of the substrate;
A pair of first clampers installed at one end side and the other end side of the first support block to move closer to each other and move away from each other, and support one side and the other side of the substrate in an X-axis direction;
And a second clamper installed at each of the second support blocks to move together with the second support block, and respectively supporting one side and the other side of the substrate in the Y-axis direction. Repair device. The method of claim 2,
The probe is installed on the side of the second support block, respectively, while moving together with the second support block, and at the same time, the substrate inspection and repair device, characterized in that the lifting support is installed relative to the second support block. The method of claim 3,
The second support block is provided with a lifting plate to move in conjunction with each of the second support block and at the same time, the lifting plate with respect to the second support block, respectively,
Support brackets are detachably coupled to the lifting plate, respectively.
The support bracket is a substrate inspection and repair device, characterized in that a plurality of the probes are supported respectively. 5. The method of claim 4,
The probe is installed to be elevated relative to the support bracket,
The support bracket is a substrate inspection and repair device, characterized in that the elastic support member is installed to elastically support the probe toward the substrate side. 5. The method of claim 4,
And a plurality of pressing plates respectively installed on the second support block to move together with the second support block, respectively, and to be liftable with respect to the second support block. The method according to claim 6,
The pressing plate is a substrate inspection and repair device, characterized in that the linear movement in the Y-axis direction independent of the movement of the second support block, respectively. The method of claim 7, wherein
The stage is provided with a support plate to be movable in the Y-axis direction,
The second support block is installed on the support plate,
The support plate has a first stopper for limiting the movement distance of the pressing plate moving in a direction closer to the second support block and a second stopper for limiting the movement distance of the pressing plate moving in a direction away from the second support block. Substrate inspection and repair apparatus, characterized in that formed. 9. The method of claim 8,
The pressing plate side is a substrate inspection and repair apparatus, characterized in that the engaging projection is applied to the first stopper or the second stopper in accordance with the movement direction of the pressing plate.

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