Automatic optical detection equipment

Abstract

To provide automated optical detection equipment that can improve detection efficiency. [Solution] The system comprises a base 1, a carrier means 2 positioned on the base, a gate means 3 positioned on the base so as to be able to reciprocate along a first horizontal direction L1 and straddling the carrier means, and a detection means 4 positioned on the gate means. The carrier means is configured to have a transport module 21 that can reciprocate along the first horizontal direction and a carrier base 22 on which the object to be detected 9 can be held. The detection means has a first sensor module 41 positioned on a horizontal supporter 32 that performs detection on the upper surface 91 of the object to be detected, and two second sensor modules 42 positioned on two vertical supporters 31 of the gate means that perform detection toward the carrier base. When the carrier base and the gate means move in opposite directions along the first horizontal direction and pass each other, each second sensor module performs detection on the outer edge 92 of the object to be detected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to detection equipment, and particularly to automatic optical detection equipment.

Background Art

[0002] With the development of the semiconductor industry, in order to improve the overall yield and ensure the quality of products, it is necessary to perform more reliable and accurate inspections on raw materials and products. This can ensure the quality of raw materials at a relatively early stage of the manufacturing process and also manage the quality of products in the later stage of the manufacturing process. Currently, as one of the most commonly used inspection devices in the related industry, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, there are inspection devices that perform inspections to identify specific defects by an optical method. In the inspection of an inspection object, in addition to the upper surface that is necessarily inspected, when the inspection object is rectangular, it is also necessary to additionally perform inspections on its four sides. This can more fully ensure the accuracy of the inspection.

[0003] When performing such inspections on an inspection object, considering limitations such as the position and distance of the inspection device, it is impossible to simultaneously inspect the upper surface and the four sides in one shot. Therefore, in practice, it is usually necessary to separately scan and photograph the upper surface and the four sides. However, in such a method of separately scanning and photographing the upper surface and the four sides, since the image acquisition device or the inspection object has to be moved, the inspection takes time and the overall manufacturing efficiency decreases. Therefore, a more ideal technical proposal is required.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention aims to provide an automatic optical detection system that can improve the efficiency of detecting defects in an object to be inspected. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides an automatic optical detection system comprising a base, a carrier means disposed on the base, a gate means disposed on the base so as to be reciprocally movable along a predetermined first horizontal direction, and a detection means disposed on the gate means, The carrier means is configured to include a transport module that can reciprocate along the first horizontal direction, and a carrier base connected to the transport module and configured to be rotatable with respect to a vertical direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, and capable of holding a detection object having an upper surface and an outer peripheral edge surrounding the upper surface. The gate means is configured to include two vertical supports, each positioned on either side of the carrier means, separated from each other in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to both the first horizontal direction and the vertical direction, and a horizontal support, located above the carrier base and extending along the second horizontal direction, and connected to the upper ends of the two vertical supports. The detection means includes a first sensor module positioned on the horizontal supporter and performing detection on the upper surface of the object to be detected, and two second sensor modules positioned on the two vertical supporters respectively and performing detection toward the carrier base. The present invention provides an automatic optical detection system in which each of the second sensor modules is configured to perform detection on the outer edges of the object to be detected that are opposite to each other in the second horizontal direction when the carrier base and the gate means move in opposite directions along the first horizontal direction and pass each other. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] With the above configuration, the automatic optical detection equipment of this invention drives the transport module to move the carrier base and gate means in opposite directions. As a result, the distance traveled by each of the carrier base and gate means is shorter than the length of the side edge of the object to be detected. Furthermore, after the two second sensor modules have completed detection of the side edge of the object to be detected, the carrier base is rotated 90 degrees while returning to the position just before the carrier base and gate means pass each other, and a scan is performed on the remaining side edge that has not yet been detected. This allows detection of all side edges of the object to be detected to be completed with a short drive distance, significantly improving detection efficiency compared to conventional methods. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the automatic optical detection equipment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the carrier base of the carrier means in the same embodiment. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram showing how the detection means in this embodiment performs detection on the top surface and two side edges of the object to be detected. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the carrier platform in the same embodiment, which rotates the object to be detected. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram showing how the same embodiment performs detection on the other two side edges of the object to be detected. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] To more clearly explain the purpose, technical means, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention, the technical means in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. It will be clear that the embodiments described are some, and not all, embodiments of the present invention. Typically, the components of the embodiments of the present invention depicted and shown in the accompanying drawings can be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided below in the accompanying drawings does not constitute any limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention, but merely illustrates selected embodiments of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 1 shows the configuration of an embodiment of the automatic optical detection equipment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the automatic optical detection equipment of this embodiment comprises a base 1, a carrier means 2 arranged on the base 1, a gate means 3 arranged on the base 1 so as to be able to reciprocate along a predetermined first horizontal direction L1, and a detection means 4 arranged on the gate means 3. As shown in the figure, a rectangular object is shown as an example of the detection target 9 in this embodiment, but the present invention does not only use rectangular objects as detection targets. In addition, a glass substrate is used as the detection target 9 in this embodiment, and has an outer peripheral edge 92 (see Figure 3) consisting of an upper surface 91 and a total of four side edges 921 surrounding the upper surface 91.

[0011] The carrier means 2 is configured to include a transport module 21 that can reciprocate along a first horizontal direction L1, and a carrier base 22 connected to the transport module 21 and configured to be rotatable with respect to a vertical direction R (see Figure 4) perpendicular to the first horizontal direction L1 as its axis of rotation, so as to be able to hold the object to be detected. In this embodiment, the transport module 21 is specifically configured as a platform that can move along a rail extending in the first horizontal direction L1, but other configurations can be adopted as long as the movement of the carrier base 22 in the first horizontal direction L1 can be driven. As shown in Figure 2, the carrier base 22 is configured to be suitable for placing and holding the object to be detected 9, and is configured to have a plurality of holding members 221 that can move along the vertical direction R and move up and down while holding the object to be detected 9. With each holding member 221 configured to move along the vertical direction, the carrier base 22 can receive the object to be detected 9 at the correct height, place it on each holding member 221, and perform detection on the object to be detected 9 at the correct height corresponding to the detection means 4 or the individual object to be detected 9.

[0012] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the gate means 3 includes two vertical supports 31 positioned on either side of the carrier means 2, separated from each other in a second horizontal direction L2 that is perpendicular to both the first horizontal direction L1 and the vertical direction R, and a horizontal support 32 positioned above the carrier base 22, extending along the second horizontal direction L2 and connected to the upper ends of the two vertical supports 31.

[0013] In other words, the gate means 3 is configured to surround the carrier base 22, that is, straddle the carrier means 2, with a lateral supporter 32 positioned above the carrier base 22 and two vertical supporters 31 positioned on each side of the carrier base 22, and the gate means 3 itself is configured to be movable along a rail extending in the first horizontal direction L1.

[0014] The detection means 4 includes a first sensor module 41 positioned on the horizontal supporter 32 to perform detection on the upper surface 91 of the object to be detected 9, and two second sensor modules 42 positioned on the two vertical supporters 31 respectively to perform detection toward the carrier base 22 (only one second sensor module 42 is shown in Figure 1 due to the angle). Furthermore, the first sensor module 41 has two image captures 411 positioned on the horizontal supporter 32, separated from each other in the second horizontal direction L2. These two image captures 411 compensate for each other's blind spots, enabling more reliable detection and improving the accuracy of the detection results. In addition, the two second sensor modules 42 can each be configured as, for example, independent line scan cameras, and when the object to be detected 9 held on the carrier base 22 passes through the gate means 3, detection can be performed on the side edge 921 of the object to be detected 9 adjacent to the second sensor module 42.

[0015] The following describes in detail the process of performing detection on the object to be detected 9 using the automatic optical detection equipment of this embodiment of the present invention, with reference to Figures 1 to 3. First, each holding member 221 of the carrier base 22 of the carrier means 2 rises to receive the object to be detected 9. At this time, the carrier base 22 and the gate means 3 are separated from each other in the first horizontal direction L1. Then, the carrier base 22 and the gate means 3 approach each other along the first horizontal direction L1, and when one end of the side edge 921 of the object to be detected 9 held by the carrier base 22 enters the detection range of the corresponding second sensor module 42, the second sensor module 42 starts performing detection on the side edge 921 of the object to be detected 9. Also, when the upper surface 91 of the object to be detected 9 enters the detection range of the first sensor module 41, the first sensor module 41 also starts performing detection on the upper surface 91. Specifically, the carrier base 22 and the gate means 3 move in opposite directions along the first horizontal direction L1 and pass each other, while the first sensor module 41 photographs and detects the upper surface 91 of the object to be detected 9, and each second sensor module 42 scans the corresponding outer edge 92 of the object to be detected 9 and performs detection.

[0016] Furthermore, when the first sensor module 41 and the second sensor module 42 take a picture of the object to be detected 9, objects other than the object to be detected 9 will also be captured in their shooting range. Therefore, in order to perform image center correction and angle deviation correction on the captured image, it is also possible to set the system so that just before taking a picture of the top surface 91 and side edge 921 of the object to be detected 9 (i.e., just before the carrier base 22 and the gate means 3 pass each other), the carrier base 22 and the gate means 3 are moved relatively a little (for example, 1 / 3 of the width of the object to be detected 9 in the first horizontal direction L1), and an image to be used as the basis for adjustment / correction of image center correction and angle deviation correction is taken by the first sensor module 41 and the second sensor module 42, and the adjustment / correction is performed, and then the carrier base 22 and the gate means 3 are returned to the position just before they passed each other and the actual shooting / detection is performed.

[0017] Referring to Figures 4 and 5 in conjunction with Figure 1, when detection on the corresponding side edges 921a of the two second sensor modules 42 is completed, the imaging of the top surface 91 of the first sensor module 41 is also completed. Then, while moving the carrier base 22 together with the gate means 3 away from each other along the first horizontal direction L1 and returning the carrier base 22 and the gate means 3 to the position just before they pass each other, the carrier base 22 is rotated 90 degrees, and the two remaining side edges 921b that have not been detected are scanned and detection is performed with the two second sensor modules 42. This makes it possible to efficiently perform imaging / detection on the top surface 91 of the object to be detected 9 and the outer peripheral edge 92 consisting of a total of four side edges 921 surrounding the top surface 91, thereby reliably achieving the objective of the present invention.

[0018] To summarize the above, in the embodiment of the automatic optical detection equipment of the present invention, since the conveying module 21 drives the carrier table 22 and the gate means 3 to move along opposite directions to each other, the distances that each of the carrier table 22 and the gate means 3 moves are both shorter than the length of the side edge 921 of the detection target 9. Therefore, with a short driving distance, the first sensor module 41 can complete the detection of the upper surface 91 of the detection target 9, and the two second sensor modules 42 can complete the detection of the two side edges 921a of the detection target 9. Then, during the process of returning the carrier table 22 and the gate means 3 to the position just before they cross each other, the carrier table 22 is driven to rotate 90 degrees, and the two second sensor modules 42 scan and detect the remaining two side edges 921b that have not been detected. Thus, the detection of the total four side edges 921 of the detection target 9 can be completed with a short driving distance. Therefore, the automatic optical detection equipment of the present invention can greatly improve the detection efficiency.

[0019] The above embodiments are used to exemplarily explain the principles and effects of the present invention, and do not limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make some changes and modifications to the above embodiments on the premise of not departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all changes and modifications made on the premise that those skilled in the art do not depart from the gist of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0020] 1 pedestal 2 carrier means 21 conveying module 22 carrier table 221 holding member 3 gate means 31 vertical supporter 32 horizontal supporter 4 detection means 41 first sensor module 411 image capture 42 second sensor module 9 detection target 91 Top surface 92 Outer edge 921 Side edge 921a Side edge 921b Side edge L1 First horizontal direction L2 Second horizontal direction R Vertical direction

Claims

1. An automatic optical detection system comprising a base, a carrier means disposed on the base, a gate means disposed on the base so as to be reciprocally movable along a predetermined first horizontal direction, and a detection means disposed on the gate means, The carrier means is configured to include a transport module that can reciprocate along the first horizontal direction, and a carrier base connected to the transport module and configured to be rotatable with respect to a vertical direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, and capable of holding a detection object having an upper surface and an outer peripheral edge surrounding the upper surface. The gate means is configured to include two vertical supports, which are positioned apart from each other on both sides of the carrier means in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to both the first horizontal direction and the vertical direction, and a horizontal support, which is located above the carrier base and extends along the second horizontal direction and is connected to the upper ends of the two vertical supports. The detection means includes a first sensor module positioned on the horizontal supporter and performing detection on the upper surface of the object to be detected, and two second sensor modules positioned on the two vertical supporters respectively and performing detection toward the carrier base. An automatic optical detection system in which each of the second sensor modules is configured to perform detection on the outer edges of the object to be detected that are opposite to each other in the second horizontal direction when the carrier base and the gate means move in opposite directions along the first horizontal direction and pass each other.

2. The automatic optical detection equipment according to claim 1, wherein the carrier base of the carrier means is configured to have a holding member that can move along the vertical direction and move up and down while holding the object to be detected.

3. The automatic optical detection system according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor module is configured to have two image captures arranged on the lateral supporter, separated from each other in the second horizontal direction.

Images