TWI404955B - Cooling and moisture-proofing apparatus for use in electric property test of flat panel display substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a cooling and moisture-proofing apparatus for cooling a surface of a flat panel display panel substrate using compressed air, and for preventing moisture contained in the air from condensing and forming water drops on the surface of the substrate while the substrate is being cooled. The cooling and moisture-proofing apparatus includes: a flow rate/pressure controller for controlling the flow rate/pressure of compressed air; a cold/hot air producing unit for separating the supplied compressed air into a cold air stream and a hot air stream; a heater for heating the cold air stream discharged from the cold/hot air producing unit to an appropriate temperature; a cold air stream ejection nozzle for ejecting the cold air, which is discharged from the cold/hot air producing unit and temperature-controlled by the heater, toward a surface of the FPD substrate so as to cool the surface; and a moisture-proofing unit for ejecting the hot air stream around the discharged cold air stream so as to execute the moisture-proofing of the FPD substrate. If the inventive apparatus is installed and used in lieu of an existing thermo stream apparatus, it is possible to test an electric property for an FPD substrate not only under a high temperature condition higher than the normal temperature, but also under a low temperature condition cooled below the normal temperature, whereby the inventive apparatus can contribute to enhance reliability for an FPD product.

Description

Cooling and moisture-proof equipment used in electrical testing of flat panel display substrates

A cooling and moisture-proof device used in the electrical test of a flat-panel display substrate, in particular, a cooling and moisture-proof device for cooling a flat-panel display substrate by using compressed air, and cooling the substrate while avoiding the inclusion of air The moisture condenses and forms water droplets on the surface of the substrate.

It is well known to those skilled in the art that flat panel displays (FPDs) are display devices that have been enthusiastically developed to replace conventional cathode ray tubes. Representative examples of such flat panel displays are liquid crystal displays (LCDs), plasma display (PDPs), field emission displays (FEDs), and vacuum fluorescent displays (VFDs).

For example, a field emission display is completed by the steps of manufacturing a lower substrate, manufacturing an upper substrate, and assembling the upper and lower substrates. More specifically, a plurality of cells are formed on the plain glass plate on which the lower substrate is fabricated, and in each cell, a plurality of horizontal and vertical columns cross each other to form a matrix form, and at a horizontal level. At each of the interlaced points between the vertical columns, pixel cells having transparent pixel electrodes are formed. Further, the pixel cells are formed by a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode connected to the horizontal and vertical columns. The cells formed on the raw glass plate were cut through a sculpting procedure immediately following the inspection procedure. In this way, each cell cut out from the unprocessed glass plate, that is, the lower substrate, and the upper substrate, the driving circuit for driving the pixel cells, and the upper and lower substrates are respectively fabricated in the upper substrate manufacturing process. The various components on the combination are combined to complete an emission display.

At the same time, a probe station is used as an electrical test device for testing a field emission display substrate circuit pattern transistor, wherein the probe holder contacts the transistor by a probe pin to test the display substrate. The electrical properties of each tiny transistor formed on it.

The electrical conductivity test of the transistor on the field emission display substrate is as much affected by temperature as the conventional semiconductor device. Especially in the case of a field-emitting display using a backlight, when the transistor in the field emission display substrate is operated, there is a sudden temperature change due to the heat generated by the backlight over time and the temperature change caused by the external environment. And worse. To this end, the electrical properties of the field emission display must be tested after any heat is applied to the field emission display during the development and manufacture of the field emission display. For example, on a liquid crystal display probe system, a device for controlling the temperature of a substrate by heating a substrate is provided to perform such testing.

Figure 1 shows a conventional apparatus for heating a substrate using a hot plate. Heating is carried out by means of a heating tool, a hot plate 2 is prepared on the layer 1 and a substrate S is placed thereon, and a probe head 3 is driven along the X-axis and Y of the layer 1 by a linear driving tool 4. The shaft is moved to test the substrate S transistor heated by the hot plate 2. However, for the apparatus using a tool such as the hot plate 2, the substrate S heated by the hot plate 2 has only a partial range. Therefore, there is a problem that it can only be tested within the heating range.

Figure 2 shows another conventional apparatus for heating a substrate using a heat flow method. The apparatus has a tool for discharging heated air 40, and the so-called heat flow 40 is located on a probe head 30 mounted on a linear driving tool 20, wherein the linear driving tool 20 moves along the X-axis and the Y-axis of the landing 10, The substrate S is laid on top. While the probe head 30 moves with the linear drive tool 20, the heat flow 40 emits heated air to the substrate S, thereby heating the substrate S. Therefore, it is possible to test the entire area of the substrate S. However, the heat flow 40 heats the substrate S at a high temperature higher than the normal temperature, and there is a problem that the substrate S transistor cannot be tested under a temperature lower than the normal temperature.

Since field emission display products are mainly used only indoors and in human body portable products, there is no need to test field emission display products under cold conditions below normal temperature. However, the increased use of field emission display products, including car navigation, has led to a significant increase in the chances of field emission display products being exposed to below normal temperature conditions. Therefore, the necessity of testing the field-on-crystal of the display product substrate during the development and manufacture of field emission display products has also increased.

In the past, in order to perform low temperature testing on the field emission display product substrate, the substrate S had to be cut into small pieces and tested in a cooled room or tested through complicated procedures.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems caused by the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cooling and moisture-proof device used in the electrical test of a flat-panel display substrate, wherein the cooling and moisture-proof device can be easily and conveniently The field emission display substrate area is tested and the field emission display substrate can be tested even in low temperature environments below normal temperature and prevented from generating moisture when cooled to low temperatures.

In order to achieve this, a cooling and moisture-proof device for use in the electrical test of a flat panel display (FPD) substrate is provided, the device comprising: a first rate/pressure controller for controlling the flow rate/pressure of the compressed air introduced externally; Dissolving the compressed air supplied by the flow rate/pressure controller into a cold air stream and a hot air stream, and discharging a cold/hot air stream to a cold/hot air manufacturing assembly; heating a cold air stream discharged from the cold/hot air manufacturing unit To control the temperature of the gas stream to the necessary temperature for testing the substrate of the flat panel display; to provide a heat generating energy to a power supply of the heater; a cold gas stream that emits cold air to exit the nozzle, from which the cold air stream is manufactured The assembly is discharged, the temperature is controlled by the heater, and is emitted toward the surface of the flat display substrate to cool the surface; a moisture-proof assembly that emits the hot air flow, the hot air flow is discharged from the cold/hot air manufacturing assembly, and the cold air is emitted from the nozzle. The cold airflow is centered so that the flat display substrate is protected from moisture; and a control component that controls the flow rate/pressure controller and power supply operation.

Here, the cold/hot air manufacturing assembly can be composed of a vortex tube.

Further, the heater may have a heat generating wire that is in contact with a power supply body embedded in the ceramic body.

In addition, the power supply can be a one-line DC power supply.

In addition, the moisture-proof assembly may include: a hot gas flow introducing member connected to the hot gas discharge end of the cold/hot air manufacturing assembly, and engaged with the upper periphery of the cold air injection nozzle to allow the hot air flow to be introduced into the hot air introducing member The hot air introducing member has one or more oblique ejection ports for centering the cold air ejection nozzle to obliquely discharge the introduced hot air flow, and the hot air discharge nozzle passes through the oblique exiting direction while forming the cyclone The surface of the substrate discharges the hot gas stream, so the hot gas stream raises the temperature of the cold air on the surface of the cooling substrate to a normal temperature, thereby preventing moisture from being generated on the surface of the substrate.

Additionally, the inventive apparatus may further include: a hot gas flow control valve that controls discharge from the cold/hot air manufacturing assembly and a flow rate of hot air supplied to the moisture-proof assembly under control of the flow rate/pressure controller; a cold-to-hot air proportional control valve disposed on the hot air discharge side of the cold/hot air manufacturing assembly, the cold-to-hot air proportional control valve being combined with the flow rate of the hot air flow control valve to be turned on or off to control the cold air flow and The proportion of hot gas stream exiting the cold/hot air manufacturing assembly.

The cold to hot air proportional control valve is connectable to the flow rate/pressure controller through a conduit such that the cold to hot air control valve passes through the flow rate/pressure controller to discharge the discharged hot air outward.

At the same time, the heater is equipped with a cold air temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the cold air heated by the heater, and the inventive device may further comprise a temperature controller for controlling the power supply, so that the controller senses the cold air flow. The temperature data is based on the control that is used to control the heating temperature of the heater's cold air stream.

According to the inventive apparatus of the above configuration, the surface of the flat display substrate can be cooled to a temperature lower than normal temperature while avoiding moisture generation on the surface of the flat display substrate. Therefore, the inventive apparatus can be easily and conveniently used in the electrical test of a flat display substrate under low temperature conditions.

If the invention equipment is installed and replaced with the current heat flow equipment, the electrical test of the flat display substrate can be performed not only under the high temperature environment higher than the normal temperature, but also under the low temperature condition lower than the normal temperature, thereby, The inventive device has been able to contribute to the implementation of flat panel display products.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the cooling and moisture-proof apparatus used in the electrical test of the flat-panel display substrate according to the present embodiment includes controlling the flow rate of compressed air introduced from the outside (for example, a pressure tank) / The first rate of pressure / pressure controller 110, the compressed air supplied by the flow rate / pressure controller 110 is divided into a cold air stream and a hot air stream, and a cold / hot air manufacturing assembly 120 for discharging the cold air stream and the hot air stream; Heating the cold air stream discharged from the cold/hot air manufacturing unit 120 to a heater 130 at a suitable temperature; supplying a power source 140 that heats the generated energy to the heater 130; and emitting cold air toward the surface of the flat display substrate S A cold gas stream of the cooling surface exits the nozzle 150, wherein the cold air is discharged from the cold/hot air manufacturing assembly 120, and the temperature is controlled by the heater 130; a moisture-proof component that emits the hot gas stream centering on the exiting cold airflow 160, preventing the flat display substrate S from generating moisture; and controlling the flow rate/pressure controller 110 and a control component 170 of the power supply 140.

The flow rate/pressure controller 110 supplies dry compressed air from a rounded outer conduit with a low dew point (clean dry air or N2), wherein the heat is heated in the cold/hot air manufacturing assembly 120 due to flow rate and pressure. The temperature of the cooled compressed air is closely related, so the flow rate and pressure of the compressed air are controlled by the flow rate/pressure controller 110 so that the compressed air can be continuously supplied.

The cold/hot air manufacturing assembly 120 is a tool for discharging compressed air supplied from the flow rate/pressure controller 110 after dividing the compressed air into a cold air stream and a hot air stream. In the present embodiment, the cold/cold/ The hot air manufacturing assembly 120 uses a cyclone tube 121. As shown in Fig. 4, if compressed air is supplied to the cyclone 121, the air is swirled at an ultra-high speed in the vortex chamber 121a, wherein the rotating air (main cyclone) is guided to a hot air outlet 121b, so that a part of the rotation The air is discharged by the control valve 121c via the hot air outlet 121b, and the remaining swirling air is returned from the control valve 121c, and flows out of a cold air outlet 121d while forming a second cyclone. At this time, the second cyclonic flow flows through a lower nip formed in the main cyclone flow, thereby dissipating heat, and then flowing to the cold air outlet 121d. In two rotating airflows (rotating at the same direction and at the same angular rate), since their angular velocity of rotation is the same, the time it takes for the inner airborne air particles to rotate once is equivalent to the time it takes for the outer airflow air particles to rotate once. Therefore, the particle movement rate of the internal gas flow is lower than the particle movement rate of the external gas flow. This difference in the rate of movement means that the kinetic energy of the internal gas stream is reduced; the lost kinetic energy is converted to heat, which increases the temperature of the external air stream, while the temperature of the internal gas stream decreases further. The inventive cold/hot air manufacturing assembly 120 uses the principle of this cyclone 121.

The heater 130 is a tool for heating the cold air discharged from the cold/hot air manufacturing assembly 120 into a temperature required for electrical testing of the flat display substrate S. As shown in the example of FIG. 5, the available power supply and the power supply are provided. A heat generating electric wire 131 is connected to the 140, and a ceramic heater embedded in the ceramic main body 132 is used as the heater 130.

In the present embodiment, a one-line type DC power supply can be used as a power supply 140 for supplying heat to the heater 130. Although the conventional heat generating member uses an alternating current, it may cause a problem in testing the electrical properties of the substrate S due to the 60 Hz noise of the alternating current. Therefore, it is best to use a one-line DC power supply that does not cause such problems.

The cold air injection nozzle 150 is connected to the cold air discharge end of the heater 130 and faces the surface of the flat display substrate S so that the cold air ejection nozzle 150 emits a temperature-controlled cold to the surface of the flat display substrate S. The air thereby cools the surface of the substrate S, and the temperature control of the cold air is that the cold air is discharged from the cold/hot air manufacturing unit 120 and passed through the heater 130.

The moisture-proof assembly 160 emits a hot gas stream discharged from the cold/hot air manufacturing unit 120 centering on the cold air flow to prevent the substrate S from generating moisture. FIG. 6 is a detailed architectural example of the moisture-proof assembly 160, which is composed of a hot gas flow introducing member 161 and a hot air discharge nozzle 162. The hot gas flow introducing member 161 is connected to the hot gas discharge end of the cold/hot air manufacturing unit 120 through the pipe P, and is connected to the upper periphery of the cold air flow injection nozzle 150, thereby introducing the hot air flow into the cold air flow. Nozzle 150. The cold airflow injection nozzle 150 has a plurality of oblique exit pupils 161a near the periphery of the nozzle 150, so that the introduced hot airflow can be obliquely discharged around the cold airflow injection nozzle 150. Further, while the cold airflow exits the nozzle 150, the hot air discharge nozzle 162 extends from the hot gas flow introducing member 161, wherein the hot air discharge nozzle 162 provides a oblique exit while forming a low pressure cyclone. The crucible 161a emits a hot gas stream toward the surface of the substrate S so that the hot gas stream raises the temperature of the cold air stream cooled on the surface of the substrate S to a normal temperature, thereby preventing moisture from being generated on the surface of the substrate S.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 3, a hot air flow control valve 180 for controlling the flow rate of the hot air flow discharged from the cold/hot air manufacturing unit 120 and the control of the flow rate/pressure controller 110 may be installed. The rate of hot gas flow supplied to the moisture barrier assembly 160. Further, on the hot gas discharge side of the cold/hot air manufacturing unit 120, a cold-to-hot air ratio control valve 190 controlled by the flow rate/pressure controller 110 may be installed. The cold to hot air proportional control valve 190 opens or closes corresponding to the flow rate of the hot gas flow control valve 180 to control the ratio between the cold air flow and the hot air flow discharged by the cold/hot air manufacturing assembly 120. In particular, the cold-to-hot air proportional control valve 190 can be replaced by or together with the control valve 121c of the cyclone 121. The cold to hot air proportional control valve 190 is coupled to the flow rate/pressure controller 110 through a conduit P for discharging the hot gas stream outwardly by the flow rate/pressure controller 110.

The heater 130 can be provided with a cold air temperature sensor 133 for sensing the temperature of the cold air stream heated by the heater 130. A temperature controller 200 can be further installed, which is based on the cold air temperature data sensed by the cold air temperature sensor 133, and the control unit 170 controls the power supply by controlling the temperature of the heater 130 to cool the airflow. The device 140.

Meanwhile, reference numeral 210 in FIG. 3 denotes a reference temperature sensor 210 which is mounted on a layer (not shown) on which the substrate S is placed, so as to be set when the flat display substrate S is electrically checked in a cooling environment. Reference temperature 220, while reference numeral 220 in FIG. 3 represents a reference temperature controller 220 for operating the reference temperature sensor 210, wherein the reference temperature controller 220 is controlled by the control component 170.

The cooling and moisture prevention apparatus of the above invention can be installed together with the current heat flow apparatus to test the electrical properties of the entire flat display substrate region in a simple and convenient manner not only under high temperature conditions but also under conditions lower than normal temperature.

Next, the flow of the cooling and moisture prevention system of the invention will be explained.

First, after the flow rate/pressure controller 110 controlled by the control unit 170 properly controls its flow rate and pressure, the compression pressure introduced from the outside of the flow rate/pressure controller 110 is supplied to the cold/heat. Air manufacturing assembly 120.

The compressed air introduced into the cold/hot air manufacturing unit 120 is divided into cold air and hot air due to the cyclone phenomenon in the cyclone tube 121, and the cold air is discharged to the cold air outlet 121d, and the hot air is It is discharged to the hot air outlet 121b. The temperature of the cold air and the hot air at this time depends on the ratio of the cold air to the hot air discharged from the cold to hot air proportional control valve 190 which is turned on or off in conjunction with the flow rate of the hot air flow control valve 180. That is, if the cold-to-hot air proportional control valve 190 is gradually opened, the amount of exhaust gas discharged to the hot air outlet 121b is increased, and the amount of exhaust gas discharged to the cold air outlet 121d is reduced, but cold air is The temperature will drop further. In contrast, if the cold-to-hot air proportional control valve 190 is gradually closed, the amount of exhaust gas discharged to the hot air outlet 121b is reduced, and the amount of exhaust gas discharged to the cold air outlet 121d is increased, and the cold air temperature is increased. The degree of reduction is low.

In general, if the ratio of cold to hot air is 2:8 under a pressure of 5 kg/cm2, it is possible to obtain a cold air temperature 65 ° C lower than the supply air. Assuming that the temperature of the supply air is the normal temperature of 25 ° C, the temperature of the cold air discharged to the cold air outlet 121d is -40 ° C, and the hot air discharged to the opposite side of the hot air outlet 121 b is about 65 ° C.

The above-mentioned cold air discharged to the cold air outlet 121d is supplied to the heater 130, and is heated by the heater 130 to a temperature required for the electrical test, and then the cold air is injected through the nozzle 150 to discharge the cold air to The surface of the substrate S is thereby cooled to a temperature suitable for electrical testing.

Further, the above-described hot air discharged to the hot air outlet 121b is supplied to the moisture-proof assembly 160 through the flow rate of the hot air flow control valve 180 as shown in Fig. 6, and the hot air is permeable to the hot air introduction member. The oblique exit pupil 161a in the 161 is obliquely discharged centering on the cold airflow injection nozzle 150, thereby forming a low pressure hot cyclone in the hot airflow discharge nozzle 162 surrounding the cold airflow injection nozzle 150. As a result, the cold air emitted from the cold airflow injection nozzle 150 toward the surface of the substrate S moves outward and is mixed with the hot air emitted from the hot air discharge nozzle 162. Therefore, the temperature of the cold air is raised to a normal temperature, so that no moisture is generated on the substrate S.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described for the purposes of illustration, the embodiments of the invention may be modified, modified and substituted without departing from the scope of the application and the spirit of the invention.

1. . . Floor

2. . . Hot plate

3. . . Probe head

4. . . Linear drive tool

40. . . Heat flow

20. . . Linear drive tool

10. . . Floor

30. . . Probe head

110. . . Flow rate / pressure controller

120. . . Cold/hot air manufacturing components

121. . . Cyclone tube

121a. . . Vortex chamber

121b. . . Hot air outlet

121c. . . Control valve

121d. . . Cold air outlet

130. . . Heater

131. . . Heat generated wire

132. . . Ceramic body

133. . . Cold air temperature sensor

140. . . Power Supplier

150. . . Cold air jet nozzle

160. . . Moisture-proof component

161. . . Hot air introduction member

161a. . . Oblique shot

162. . . Hot air discharge nozzle

170. . . Control component

180. . . Hot air control valve

190. . . Cold to hot air proportional control valve

200. . . Temperature Controller

210. . . Reference temperature sensor

220. . . Reference temperature controller

S. . . Substrate

P. . . pipeline

Figure 1 is a top view of a conventional apparatus for heating a substrate by a hot plate method;

Figure 2 is a top view of a conventional apparatus for heating a substrate by a heat flow method;

Figure 3 illustrates the overall architecture of a device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a cyclone tube as an example of a cold/hot air manufacturing assembly of Figure 3;

Figure 5 shows the detailed architecture of the heater in Figure 3;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure and operation of the moisture-proof assembly of Fig. 3.

110. . . Flow rate / pressure controller

120. . . Cold/hot air manufacturing components

130. . . Heater

133. . . Cold air temperature sensor

140. . . Power Supplier

150. . . Cold air jet nozzle

160. . . Moisture-proof component

170. . . Control component

180. . . Hot air control valve

190. . . Cold to hot air proportional control valve

200. . . Temperature Controller

210. . . Reference temperature sensor

220. . . Reference temperature controller

Claims (7)

A cooling and moisture-proof device for use in electrical testing of a flat-panel display substrate, comprising: controlling a flow rate/pressure of a compressed air introduced externally/pressure controller; dividing the compressed air supplied by the flow rate/pressure controller into a cold/hot air manufacturing assembly for discharging a cold air stream and a hot air stream; and heating a cold air stream discharged from the cold/hot air manufacturing assembly to control the air temperature to a flat panel display a temperature required for electrical testing of the substrate; a power supply that supplies heat generating energy to the heater; and a cold air stream that exits the cold air stream that is discharged from the cold/hot air manufacturing assembly and that is controlled by the heater a nozzle, a cold air jet exiting the surface of the nozzle toward the surface of the flat display substrate to cool the surface of the substrate; and a moisture-proof assembly that emits a hot gas stream discharged from the cold/hot air manufacturing assembly, the moisture-proof assembly comprising: the cold/hot air a hot gas flow introducing member connected to the hot air discharge end of the assembly is formed and joined to the upper periphery of the cold air injection nozzle, so that the hot air flow can be introduced into the hot air flow. The hot air introducing member has one or more oblique exit pupils, preferably centered on the cold airflow exiting nozzle, obliquely discharging the introduced hot airflow, and extending from the hot airflow introducing member, and using the cold airflow a hot air discharge nozzle centered on the injection nozzle, wherein the hot air discharge nozzle discharges the hot air flow to the surface of the substrate through the oblique exiting air while forming the cyclone, so the hot air flow increases the temperature of the cold air on the surface of the cooling substrate to Normal temperature, thereby avoiding moisture on the surface of the flat display substrate; and A flow rate/pressure controller and a control component of the power supply are controlled. The cooling and moisture-proof device used in the electrical test of the flat-panel display substrate according to claim 1, wherein the cold/hot air manufacturing component is a vortex tube. A cooling and moisture-proof device for use in the electrical test of a flat-panel display substrate according to claim 1, wherein the heater has a heat-generating wire connected to a power supply embedded in the ceramic body. The cooling and moisture-proof device used in the electrical test of the flat-panel display substrate according to claim 1, wherein the power supply is a linear DC power supply. The cooling and moisture-proof apparatus used in the electrical test of the flat-panel display substrate according to claim 1 of the patent application further includes: a hot air flow control valve for controlling the discharge of the cold/hot air manufacturing component, and at the flow rate/pressure control a flow rate of hot air supplied to the moisture-proof assembly; and a cold-to-hot air proportional control valve on the discharge side of the hot air of the cold/hot air manufacturing assembly, the cold-to-hot air proportional control valve is coupled to the hot gas The flow control valve is turned on or off to control the ratio of the cold air flow to the hot gas flow exiting the cold/hot air manufacturing assembly. The cooling and moisture-proof device used in the electrical test of the flat-panel display substrate described in claim 6 wherein the cold-to-hot air proportional control valve is connected to the flow rate/pressure controller through a pipe, so the cold-to-hot air The discharged hot air is discharged outward through the flow rate/pressure controller. The cooling and moisture-proof device used in the electrical test of the flat-panel display substrate according to claim 1, wherein the heater is provided with a cold air temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the hot air heated by the heater. The apparatus further includes a temperature controller for controlling the power supply to control the cold air heating temperature of the heater based on the cold air flow sensing temperature data of the cold air temperature sensor.