Component processing and component inspection

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for processing a plurality of components. The device is designed and configured to process a component having a plurality of sides and / or edges of the plurality of sides. The device has at least one pick-up tool for one of the plurality of components arranged on a turning device, the pick-up tool being designed and configured to pick up the component on one of the plurality of top surfaces of the respective component, the turning device being designed and configured to rotate the pick-up tool about a turning axis in a turning plane and to optionally feed the component located on the pick-up tool from a pick-up position into one or more orientation positions, optionally into one or more inspection positions, to a drop position and optionally into an ejection position. The device has a holding and feeding device for a component magazine facing the pick-up position, wherein the discharging device is designed and configured to convey or feed each time one of the plurality of components from the component magazine located in the holding and feeding device in the direction of the respective pick-up tool located in the pick-up position, wherein the holding and feeding device is designed and configured to align at least the component to be discharged in the component magazine relative to the pick-up tool located in the pick-up position such that a side of the component that forms an acute angle with the turning plane forms an angle of approximately 30° to approximately 60° with the turning plane (WE), or a side of the component that forms an obtuse angle with the turning plane forms an angle of approximately 120° to approximately 150° with the turning plane.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This document describes a component handling device and a corresponding method. The details of the component handling are defined in the claims; the description and the drawings contain relevant explanations of the component handling device and its working manner, as well as of variants of the component handling device.

[0002] This document also describes a component inspection device and a corresponding method. The details of the component inspection are defined in the claims; the description and the drawings contain relevant explanations of the component inspection and its working manner, as well as of variants of the component inspection device. Background Art

[0003] The component is, for example, an electronic component, also referred to as a chip or die. Such a component typically has a prismatic outer shape and a generally polygonal, for example quadrilateral (rectangular or square) cross-section, which cross-section includes a plurality of sides and a front or upper or top or upper or lower top surface. The sides of this component are hereinafter synonymously referred to as lateral sides. This component may also have a number of sides different from four. The component may also be an electronic and / or optical component (prism, mirror, lens, etc.), or include the above-mentioned electronic and / or optical components. Generally speaking, the component may have any geometric shape.

[0004] So-called pick-and-place devices are known from the applicant's practice, in which components are picked up from a substrate via a pick-up tool and subsequently placed on a carrier or in a transport container or the like. Before placing the component, the component is inspected. For this purpose, images of one or more sides of the component are recorded with one or more cameras and evaluated via automated image processing.

[0005] EP 1 470 747 B1 relates to a chip removal device, a chip removal system, an assembly system, and a method for removing and further processing a chip. The chip is removed from a wafer and transported to a transport position while being flipped. The removal device for removing the chip from a structured semiconductor wafer is provided with a rotatable removal tool for removing the chip from the wafer and causing the removed chip to be flipped by 180° about its longitudinal or transverse axis, and a rotatable flipping tool that cooperates with the rotatable removal tool for flipping the removed chip by 180° about its longitudinal or transverse axis again. The removal tool has a first transport position, the flipping tool has a second transport position, and the chip can be transported to an assembly head at the second transport position for further processing.

[0006] EP 0 906 011 A2 relates to a device for removing and assembling electronic components onto a substrate. This device includes a rotatable conveying device which removes electronic components from a feeding module at a picking position and conveys them to a suction tape at a first conveying position for further processing. These components are picked up from the suction tape by a rotatable assembling head and conveyed to a second conveying position.

[0007] WO 02 / 054480 A1 relates to a device for optically inspecting different faces of a chip to be installed. This device includes a first upper transport tray which is configured to remove the chip from a feeding unit and convey it to a first conveying position. The chip is held in a suction inlet formed on the side surface of the upper transport tray and moves by the rotation of the upper transport tray. This device also has a second lower transport tray corresponding to the upper transport tray which receives the removed chip at the first conveying position and conveys it to a second conveying position. This device can inspect the chip in the following way: cameras are arranged on the side of the transport tray so as to inspect the front and bottom surfaces of the chip. The chip is conveyed to a sorting device for further processing without being flipped relative to its original orientation.

[0008] US 4,619,043 discloses a device and a method for removing and installing electronic components, especially chips, on a printed circuit board. This device includes a conveying member for picking up a chip in a picking unit and conveying the picked-up chip to a first conveying position. Among them, the conveying member has a conveying chain and a rotatable sprocket engaged with each other. This device also has a rotatable installing tool which has an assembling head for picking up the chip at the first conveying position. The fastening tool is also configured to convey the picked-up chip to a second conveying position by a rotational movement, wherein the chip is flipped.

[0009] JP 2-193813 relates to a device for picking up electronic components inspected by an inspection device and reversing them. This device includes a feeding unit which removes chip-shaped electronic components from this feeding unit by a first rotating body and arranges them on the circumference of this rotating body. The electronic components are conveyed to a first conveying position by the rotational movement of the rotating body, so that the electronic components are flipped around their longitudinal axis or transverse axis. This device also includes a second rotating body which picks up the removed electronic components at the first conveying position and conveys them to a second conveying position. Thus, the electronic components are subjected to another flip around their longitudinal axis or transverse axis. This device can inspect different sides of the components.

[0010] For other technical background references, see documents EP 3 336 024 A1, EP 1 588 402B1, WO 2017 / 220 245A1, WO 2019 / 039 568A1, JP 502 94 39A, KR 2017 001 86 07A, JP 2018 077 083A, JP 599 9859B1, US 9,261,463B2, WO 2018 / 110 500A1, WO 2019 / 009 381A1, WO 2016 / 080 162A1, WO2019 / 039 552A1, KR 2012 096 37B1, EP 2 075829B1, JP 59 75 556 B1, WO 2014 112041A1, WO 2015 083 211A1, WO 2017 022 074A1, WO 2013 / 108 398A1, WO 2013 / 084298A1, WO 2012 / 073 285A1, US 9,510,460 B2, JP 49 11 714 B2, US 7,191,511B2, JP 5510 923 B2, JP 57 83 652 B2, JP 2007 095 725A, JP 2012 116 529A, JP 2001-74664A, JP1-193630A, US 5,750,979, DE 199 13 134A1, JP 8 227 904 A.

[0011] Technical problem

[0012] When separating a (semiconductor) component from a substrate / waf er foil and picking up the component with a picking tool (e.g., a negative pressure pipette), a positional tolerance of the component is formed on the picking tool. The deviation of the position and rotation of the component on the picking tool is affected by multiple parameters: the adhesion between the component and the substrate / wafer foil, the lifting height of the needle used to release the component from the substrate / wafer foil, the position of the needle relative to the center of the component, the reaction force of the picking tool, the relative position of the picking tool to the center of the component when picking up the component, the intensity of the negative pressure at the picking tool, the time available to form the negative pressure for picking up the component, the surface characteristics of the component facing the picking tool, the surface characteristics of the picking tool, etc.

[0013] In addition, the industrial requirements for optically recognizing increasingly smaller defects on components are also constantly increasing. Defects can be optically recognized by means of a suitable lens and the illumination of the component to be inspected that matches it. However, the available lenses reach their limits in terms of the necessary image sharpness and the increasingly smaller depth of field. Due to the deviation of the position of the component on the pick-up tool and the small depth of field of the lens, the quality of the optical inspection is limited. The possibility of recognizing defects on defocused components is small. In this way, defective components may be incorrectly not recognized as malfunctioning and further processed / packaged.

[0014] The traditional solution to this problem is to provide a centering station for the components upstream of the optical evaluation to improve the quality of the optical component inspection. Among them, the X position, Y position and rotation of the component are measured. Subsequently, the X position, Y position and rotation of the component are corrected by moving and rotating the pick-up tool in the X direction and Y direction. When using this solution, each pick-up tool must be additionally equipped with a rotation drive, or the pick-up tool is designed in such a way that the drive can engage each pick-up tool. As an alternative, the pick-up tool is rotated and the evaluation camera is displaced relative to the component in the X direction and Y direction. Another traditional variant involves placing the component on a carrier, aligning the X position, Y position and rotation of the component on the carrier, and then picking up the component from the carrier with the pick-up tool. There is a risk that the component will slide relative to the pick-up tool again when it is picked up from the carrier again.

[0015] A system for visually inspecting all (four) sides (and optionally one or two top surfaces) of an electronic component (see above) either has two or more cooperating transport bodies (such as transport wheels, transport star wheels, conveyor belts), or has a complex configuration of the imaging system. When using two or more transport bodies, the electronic component must be transported from one transport body to another and recalibrated for visual inspection. These solutions are costly and have a limited throughput (the number of electronic components inspected per unit time). The solution proposed by the present invention should be able to precisely process the components in a manner improved over the prior art and inspect these components with a high throughput. Summary of the Invention

[0016] Solution

[0017] The present disclosure relates to a device and a method. The device has at least one pick-up tool arranged on a turning device and is used to align and optically inspect components attached to the respective pick-up tool. The pick-up tool is designed and configured to pick up the component on one of the multiple top surfaces of the respective component. The turning device is designed and configured to rotate the pick-up tool about a turning axis within a turning plane and optionally feed the component on the pick-up tool from a pick-up position into at least one orientation position, optionally into at least one inspection position, to a drop-off position, and optionally into an ejection position. The device is designed and configured to process components having multiple sides to be optically inspected. For this purpose, the device has a holding and feeding device for component supply facing the pick-up position. The component reservoir can be a (thin-film) substrate, on the side thereof facing the pick-up tool, components are arranged separately from each other. The unloading device is designed and configured to convey or feed one of the multiple components from the component reservoir in the holding and feeding device towards the respective pick-up tool in the pick-up position each time. The holding and feeding device is designed and configured to align the entire component reservoir or only the respective component to be released relative to the pick-up tool in the pick-up position such that one or each side to be optically inspected of the component that forms an acute angle with the turning plane forms an angle of approximately 30° to approximately 60° with the turning plane, or one or each side to be optically inspected of the component that forms an obtuse angle with the turning plane forms an angle of approximately 120° to approximately 150° with the turning plane. The sides of the component can be aligned with the orthogonal main alignment axes X, Y of the device, and the turning plane of the device is oriented on or parallel to the angle bisector of the X, Y axes.

[0018] This configuration has only one turning device that rotates only within one turning plane. Thus, the component can be fed from the pick-up position to the drop-off position in an angled orientation relative to the turning plane. In this way, the component on the pick-up tool can be aligned in the angled orientation, and then, an optical inspection can be performed on its side / its edge without introducing the components of the optical inspection device into the turning or transportation path of the component. In other words, none of the sides of the component are parallel or perpendicular to the turning plane.

[0019] This configuration also enables faster maintenance, especially for adjusting the device and especially the pick-up tool before the device is about to operate, because the turning device and the components interacting with it are more accessible. There is no need to additionally remove components or modules for maintenance or adjustment. For example, the pipette of the pick-up tool needs to be regularly adjusted relative to the imaging device or needs to be replaced due to wear or different characteristics of the components to be processed. This allows for a higher overall production volume of components to be processed / inspected.

[0020] In addition to or as an alternative to the above-mentioned pick-up position, orientation position, inspection position, drop position, and ejection position, other processing stations may also be provided at other positions, such as an electrical test station or an adhesive nozzle.

[0021] With the configuration proposed here, better access to the turning device is possible because the turning device is practically unobstructed along its circumference. This is different from known configurations in which the component reservoir above the turning device and the receiving device below the turning device limit access to the turning device, the control system and supply lines limit access to the turning device from the back side, and the processing stations arranged on the radial outer circumference of the turning device limit access.

[0022] The transport path of the component is between two parallel edges of the component, which extend between the upper and lower top surfaces of the component. The edges terminate in the opposite corners of the lower surface and the upper surface. The two parallel edges are in a plane transverse to the turning plane. The transport path of the component is in or parallel (coplanar) with the turning plane.

[0023] Wherein, the side edges of the component (oriented at least approximately parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the pick-up tool) are in front of the two sides of the component adjacent to the side edges along the circumference of the turning device from the pick-up position to the drop position or to the ejection position on the turning or transport path of the component. Through the angled layout of the side surfaces of the component with respect to the turning plane, the side surfaces can be inspected without setting (temporary) interference profiles in the form of inspection devices or alignment devices in the turning plane and transport path of the component.

[0024] This variant is different from known configurations having, for example, two turning devices at right angles to each other, whereby the component is transferred from one turning device to the other turning device and the component is turned relative to its end face or bottom face during this process. In the known configuration, all side surfaces of the component, which is also quadrilateral in the top view, are also inspected. Due to the provision of two turning devices, two turning planes are provided here. In each turning plane, only two opposite side surfaces can be inspected at a time without setting interference profiles because two side surfaces of the component are aligned with the respective turning plane and two side surfaces of the component are at right angles to the respective turning plane.

[0025] The picking tool is configured and designed to pick up a component having four sides to be optically inspected. In one variant, two pairs of optical component inspection devices are arranged along the transport path of the component around the circumference of the turning device, and the plurality of component inspection devices are arranged with their optical axes angled outside the transport path of the component around the circumference of the turning device. In this case, the transport path of the component is generally in the shape of an arc segment (an approximately semi-circular shape from the picking position (0°) to the dropping position (180°), or alternatively a three-quarter circular shape up to the ejection position (e.g., 240° or 270°)).

[0026] In the device proposed herein, the (e.g., two) imaging devices and their (e.g., two) lighting devices (on the four sides of the component to be inspected) can be distributed in an X layout at (e.g., two) separate inspection positions in the same turning plane on the turning device. This reduces the processing time (and increases the production volume). In this variant, a transmitted light lighting device is a good choice.

[0027] In another variant of the X layout, at a single inspection position, four imaging devices are directed at the four sides of the component to be inspected, and each imaging device is associated with a lighting device, and the plurality of lighting devices illuminate the corresponding sides to be inspected with one spectrum or multiple spectra.

[0028] The proposed device is particularly also advantageous for infrared (IR) transmission light inspection with infrared illumination arranged opposite the imaging device. This configuration enables a reduction in the cycle time, because only at the orientation position is a radial (Z) stroke of the component relative to the rotational axis of the turning device in the radial direction of the picking tool required to center the component on the picking tool. The radial (Z) stroke can be implemented simultaneously with the radial (Z) strokes of other components on the turning device, for example, at the picking position and / or the dropping position, because at that time the turning device is at least briefly or approximately stationary anyway.

[0029] The device proposed herein saves space and reduces complexity because it only requires one turning device to inspect the sides of the component and to turn the component. The device proposed herein is suitable for component sizes with side lengths of, for example, 0.3 mm to, for example, 12×12×2.5 mm. Therefore, compared with known devices, the device proposed herein can process and / or inspect various different sizes of components.

[0030] An optional ejection position is used, for example, to remove a component found to be faulty from the process with a suction machine.

[0031] Optional orientation positions are used to correct the position and orientation of the component on the pick-up tool with the corresponding slider or gripper in case the component is not delivered to the pick-up tool with the required precision for inspection. For this purpose, the device for aligning the component is designed and configured such that the component is aligned relative to the center of the pick-up tool in at least one axial direction and in the rotational direction. In the device, the component can be transported from the pick-up position to the drop position with a lateral orientation angled relative to the flipping plane, and the flipping or transport path of the component along the circumference of the flipping device is shielded from / not affected by the components of the optical component inspection device.

[0032] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, two imaging devices and their lighting devices are distributed in an X-configuration at each inspection position as the optical component inspection device, such that a first side of the component is inspected with the first lighting device and the first imaging device, and a second side adjacent to the first side is inspected with the second lighting device and the second imaging device. The optical paths of the two imaging devices can cross or intersect in an X-shape at the point where the component on the pick-up tool is positioned at the inspection position.

[0033] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, the pick-up tool is configured and designed to pick up a component having four sides to be optically inspected. Two pairs of optical component inspection devices are arranged along the transport path of the component, and the plurality of component inspection devices are arranged in an angled layout outside the transport path of the component along the circumference of the flipping device, wherein the transport path is generally in the shape of an arc segment.

[0034] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, a plurality of imaging devices are each assigned an infrared (IR) lighting device arranged opposite thereto as a plurality of lighting devices for infrared transmitted light inspection, and each lighting device is activated by a control device when the pick-up tool with the component is within the inspection area of the corresponding imaging device, or the lighting devices are permanently activated.

[0035] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, the orientation position is used to correct the position and orientation of the component on the pick-up tool, wherein a device for aligning the component is provided, which is designed and configured to align the component relative to the center of the pick-up tool in at least one orientation angled relative to the transport path and / or in the rotational direction relative to the central longitudinal axis of the pick-up tool and / or the component.

[0036] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, the device for alignment has two sliders that can move towards and away from each other and have sliding sections with opposite orientations, and the sliding sections are designed and configured to contact at least partially two mutually opposite first sides or surfaces of the component located on the pick-up tool to align the component.

[0037] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, the slider is designed and configured to slide or rotate the component in a direction oriented relative to at least one of the two sliding sections towards the inspection position while the pick-up tool holds the component.

[0038] In a variant of the device, the device has 8, 16, 24, 32, 48 or more pick-up tools arranged at equal angular intervals along the circumference of the turning device, and the turning device has a circular or star-shaped outer shape. So far, the variant of the device with 24 pick-up tools has proven to be advantageous in terms of size, accessibility of each position and speed.

[0039] In a variant of the device, at the pick-up position for picking up the component from the component reservoir in the holding and feeding device, at the orientation position for centering and aligning the component on the pick-up tool, and / or at the drop-off position for dropping off the component, a stroke device is provided at each position to cause a radial (Z) stroke of the pick-up tool, and the stroke is in the radial direction from the rotation axis of the turning device towards the component reservoir for picking up the component in the holding and feeding device, towards the device for centering and aligning the component, and / or towards the receiving device for dropping off the component.

[0040] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, the stroke device has a servo motor or a cam / bobbin configuration for the radial (Z) stroke at the corresponding position, so that the pick-up tool moves in a controlled manner along the longitudinal direction of the pick-up tool.

[0041] In a variant of the device, the turning device is moved in a controlled manner along the turning axis of the turning device via a linear drive, so as to precisely receive the component from the component reservoir on the pick-up tool and / or precisely drop off the component at the drop-off position.

[0042] A method for processing a component having multiple sides and / or side edges, comprising the following steps: providing a component repository in a holding and feeding device for the component repository such that the component repository faces a pick-up position; conveying or sending one of the multiple components from the component repository in the holding and feeding device towards a corresponding pick-up tool at the pick-up position via a discharging device each time; picking up the component on the top surface of one of the multiple components via at least one pick-up tool arranged on a turning device; rotating the pick-up tool around a turning axis within a turning plane; optionally feeding the component on the pick-up tool from the pick-up position into one or more orienting positions, optionally into one or more inspection positions, sending it to a dropping position and optionally into an ejection position; aligning the component repository in the holding and feeding device in such a way that at least the component to be released is aligned relative to the pick-up tool at the pick-up position in each case, such that a side of the component that forms an acute angle with the turning plane forms an angle of approximately 30° to approximately 60° with the turning plane, or a side of the component that forms an obtuse angle with the turning plane forms an angle of approximately 120° to approximately 150° with the turning plane.

[0043] Subsequently, the aforementioned multiple sides of the component can be optically inspected at the inspection position, and / or it can be aligned at the orienting position. In another variant, a device for inspecting a component having at least one upper surface, multiple sides and / or side edges to be inspected has at least one pick-up tool arranged on a turning device for each of the components in each case. The pick-up tool is designed and configured to pick up the component on the top surface of the corresponding component. The turning device is designed and configured to rotate the component around a turning axis within a turning plane along a transport path with the pick-up tool, and during this process, feed the component on the pick-up tool that forms an angle with the turning path or the turning plane into the inspection position. At the inspection position, a first and a second imaging device, which are optical component inspection devices, are arranged at an angle to each other such that a first side or edge of the component at the inspection position is inspected with the first imaging device, and a second side or edge of the component adjacent to the first side or edge at the inspection position is inspected with the second imaging device.

[0044] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, two pairs of optical component inspection devices are arranged along the transport path of the component. These component inspection devices are arranged in an angled layout outside the transport path of the component along the circumference of the turning device, wherein the transport path of the component is generally in the shape of an arc segment. In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, multiple imaging devices are each assigned an infrared (IR) lighting device arranged opposite thereto as multiple lighting devices for infrared transmitted light inspection. Each lighting device is activated by a control device when the pick-up tool with the component is within the detection area of the corresponding imaging device, or the multiple lighting devices are permanently activated.

[0045] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, on each of the two inspection devices there are two optical assembly inspection devices in the form of an imaging sensor and its lighting device, and the inspection devices are arranged in an X-configuration with their optical paths such that the first lighting device points to the first imaging device and the second lighting device points to the second imaging device. The pick-up tool is configured and designed to feed the assembly into the area where the optical paths cross or intersect.

[0046] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, with the assembly in the respective position, at each inspection position there are two adjacent sides, in other words, two mutually non-parallel sides are simultaneously optically inspected without the imaging device and / or its lighting device entering the transport path of the assembly, or without the assembly on the pick-up tool being radially moved outwards or inwards to enter the optical paths of the imaging device and its lighting device.

[0047] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, the pick-up tool on the turning device is configured and designed to pick up the assembly and transport the assembly along the transport path of the assembly with the side of the assembly to be optically inspected in such a way that it passes through at least one or two pairs of optical assembly inspection devices, and the optical assembly inspection devices are configured and designed to inspect two adjacent sides respectively.

[0048] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, the assembly can be inspected with transmitted light and / or with reflected light, specifically in such a way that the imaging device is assigned a corresponding infrared (IR) transmitted-light or reflected-light lighting device as the lighting device, and the plurality of lighting devices are respectively directed at a point at which the side of the assembly to be inspected is in the respective inspection position.

[0049] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, the assembly is conveyed in an orientation at an angle to the transport path, and at the inspection position there are respectively two imaging devices and their lighting devices, which are respectively assigned deflection devices for the optical paths.

[0050] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, the imaging device, its lighting device and / or the deflection device are moved into and out of the transport path of the assembly via respective linear drives.

[0051] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, the deflection device is designed to deflect / reflect completely or partially and enters radially below the assembly to be inspected (between two adjacent pick-up tools) in a position where it is fully retracted from the transport path of the assembly.

[0052] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, for a reflection light imaging device for inspecting the side or edge of a component, an illumination device is provided on the side of the imaging device on the side or edge of the component.

[0053] In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, for an incident light imaging device for inspecting the end face of the component remote from the pick-up tool and / or for inspecting the position / orientation of the component on the pick-up tool, an imaging device and its illumination device (optionally having different wavelengths), a deflection device that is at least partially transparent to the optical path section from the imaging device to the end face of the component, and / or other illumination devices surrounding the deflection device are arranged. This configuration is used to inspect the position / orientation of the component on the pick-up tool. In a variant of the device, alternatively or additionally, the imaging device, the illumination device, and optionally also the deflection device are moved relative to the component via a corresponding linear drive.

[0054] In a variant, alternatively or additionally, the device is provided with two sliders that can move towards and away from each other. The sliders have, for example, sliding sections that are parallel to each other. These two sliding sections are designed and configured to at least partially contact two, for example, opposite first sides of the component located on the pick-up tool in order to align the component.

[0055] In a variant, alternatively or additionally, a plurality of sliders are designed and configured to push and / or rotate the component towards the inspection position in a direction, for example, perpendicular to at least one of the two sliding sections during the holding of the component by the pick-up tool (e.g., via negative pressure). Alternatively or additionally, at one or more optional consecutive orientation positions, similar devices are provided for the first device to align the component in order to align the component in other axial and / or rotational directions.

[0056] In a variant, the device disclosed herein has 8, 16, 24, 32, 36, 48 or more pick-up tools arranged at equal angular intervals along the circumference of a circular or star-shaped flipping device.

[0057] Depending on the spatial conditions and corresponding to the dimensions of the various components of the device (the diameter of the flipping device, pick-up tools, devices for alignment, imaging devices, etc.), for example, in a variant with 24 pick-up tools, along the circumference of the flipping device

[0058] a pick-up position for picking up the component from the substrate is provided at the 1st position (0°), and at

[0059] an orientation position for centering and aligning the component on the pick-up tool is provided at the 2nd position (45°), and at

[0060] At the third position (60°), there is an inspection position for checking the centering and alignment of the component on the picking tool.

[0061] At the fourth position (90°), there is an inspection position for optically inspecting two (e.g., adjacent) sides of the component.

[0062] At the fifth position (105°), there is an inspection position for optically inspecting two other (e.g., adjacent) sides of the component.

[0063] At the sixth position (180°), there is a dropping position for placing the component into a container or another substrate, and

[0064] At the seventh position (240°), there is an ejection position for removing the component from the processing.

[0065] The angular explanations along the circumference of the flipping device are only examples.

[0066] At the picking position for picking up the component from the substrate, the orienting position for centering and aligning the component on the picking tool, and the dropping position for dropping the component, a radial (Z) stroke of the picking tool is caused respectively, and the stroke is towards the substrate for picking up the component, towards the device for centering and aligning the component, or towards the receiving device for dropping the component.

[0067] At the inspection positions for performing optical inspections, the component on the picking tool is held in the corresponding radial non-working positions, that is, it does not radially move away from the rotation axis of the flipping device with the radial (Z) stroke of the picking tool. In a variant of this type of device, a linear drive for the picking tool assigned to the flipping device is provided.

[0068] These linear drives respectively engage with the correspondingly positioned picking tools from outside the flipping device and radially extend and retract the corresponding picking tools. In another variant, these linear drives only extend the corresponding picking tools, and the return springs retract the corresponding picking tools. In another variant, each of the picking tools corresponds to a bidirectional or unidirectional radial drive.

[0069] Here, aligning the component by pushing and rotating to the inspection position means that the sliding section moves the component on the picking tool so that the component is as much as possible within the depth of field of the corresponding camera configuration in the next inspection. In this process, the component does not need to be precisely aligned in two directions (X-axis and Y-axis) and the rotation direction (around the Z-axis). It is sufficient that the side and the upper surface of the component to be observed in the corresponding inspection are as perpendicular as possible to the optical axis of the corresponding camera configuration and are fully aligned within the field of view of the corresponding camera configuration.

[0070] In one variant, the first and / or the second slider each has a drive for changing the distance of the respective sliding section from the pick-up tool of the respective tipping device in the radial direction relative to the tipping axis. Thus, each slider has its own drive for changing the distance of the respective sliding section from the upper surface of the respective pick-up tool in the direction of the respective longitudinal central axis of the pick-up tool. In this way, it is possible to adjust the location at which the respective sliding section engages with and contacts the side of the assembly.

[0071] In another variant, alternatively or additionally, the sliders acting together on the tipping device are configured and designed to move towards or away from the respective inspection position of the assembly in the same direction and at least approximately synchronously. In this way, the assembly is pushed and rotated to the respective inspection position.

[0072] A method for inspecting an assembly having at least one upper surface, a plurality of sides and / or side edges to be inspected, comprising the steps of: providing a pick-up tool for each of the assemblies arranged on a tipping device; picking up the assembly on the upper surface of the assembly in an orientation at an angle to the tipping path or tipping plane via the pick-up tool to feed the assembly into the inspection position; rotating the tipping device and the pick-up tool to transport the assembly along the tipping path in the tipping plane to the inspection position; providing, at the inspection position, first and second imaging devices arranged at an angle (and at an angle relative to the tipping plane) to each other as optical assembly inspection devices; inspecting a first side or edge of the assembly in the inspection position with the first imaging device; inspecting a second side or edge of the assembly adjacent to the first side or edge in the inspection position with the second imaging device.

[0073] Thus, the configuration proposed here forms an integrated processing / inspection device. The imaging sensor inspects all or almost all of the upper surface and / or sides of the assembly and provides relevant data for the positioning of the pick-up tool (robotic arm, pick-up tool) and the receiving point.

[0074] Thus, the device forms the core of a closed machine system with the necessary processing technology peripherals, for example for providing assemblies (e.g. on a wafer substrate) and for providing assembly placement locations (e.g. in a trough belt or carrier tape).

[0075] The component handling device proposed in this document receives components from a component reservoir (wafer cassette), which is, for example, horizontally arranged in the upper area of the component handling device, by means of a position-fixed unloading device (ejecting unit), for example. The component reservoir moves relative to the ejecting unit within the plane. The ejecting unit releases the components one by one from the component reservoir by means of needles or in a non-contact manner (for example, a laser beam) and picks them up via a pick-up tool. The ejected components can be successively sent to a plurality of inspection processes and finally placed at the drop position. The terms: receiving point, drop position, and (placement) slot are used synonymously herein. Among them, the identified defective components can be removed. The optical inspection of components integrated into the conveying process is divided into a plurality of inspection processes. The inspection uses one or more imaging sensors in the form of camera configurations to optically detect the upper surface and / or side surface of the component and the position of the pick-up tool at the receiving point. These imaging sensors are configured to respectively acquire at least one image of the upper surface and / or side surface of the component during a plurality of inspection processes. The components are conveyed / transported while the pick-up tools of the turning device respectively hold one component. The held components pass through the respective inspection processes during transportation. Among them, the (image) data obtained by the imaging sensors is also used to coordinate the position adjustment of the robotic arm (pick-up tool) and the receiving point. The component conveyance is configured to convey the components substantially continuously or periodically along the path of the components.

[0076] In one variant, the components are sent from a horizontal component reservoir to a horizontal placement location. The component reservoir and the placement location can also be arranged at an angle to each other, that is, for example, a horizontal component reservoir and a vertical placement location are arranged.

[0077] Furthermore, in one variant of the device, the holding and feeding device for the component reservoir and the drop position is controllably moved electrically or manually in different (X-direction, Y-direction, rotation angle) directions, that is, for example, a belt or a tray with a carrier slot. In this way, the corresponding components can be sent to the pick-up tool or into the drop position in the desired orientation and position.

[0078] The configuration and method proposed herein functionally combine two aspects: handling and inspection. These two functions can be intertwined in terms of time and space in order to quickly and precisely qualitatively evaluate multiple (up to six or more) sides of the components, while quickly removing the components individually from the component reservoir and precisely placing them at the receiving point after classifying them as qualified through inspection. The device has an adjustable turning device in the form of, for example, a star or a wheel. In one variant, the turning device has a polygonal (polygon) outer shape. The turning device carries a plurality of pick-up tools that can also move radially relative to the rotation axis of the turning device in a plurality of variants, in order to respectively convey the components in a manner fixed to the pick-up tools within the rotation angle between component pick-up and discharging to one or more processing stations for positioning, inspection, defective component removal, and also to other stations as the case may be.

[0079] In the apparatus proposed here, a star or wheel-type turnover device carries components on radially outwardly directed pick-up tools, and the plurality of pick-up tools are arranged on the imaginary circumference of the turnover device. This is different from an apparatus in which the pick-up tools of the turnover device are oriented parallel to the axis of rotation of the turnover device.

[0080] Depending on the number of pick-up tools of the turnover device, a plurality of components can be held simultaneously on the turnover device, and thus the inspection process can likewise be carried out simultaneously on different components.

[0081] The (upper / lower) upper surface and / or (lateral) side surface of the component detected by the imaging sensor during each inspection process can be different upper surfaces and / or side surfaces of the component.

[0082] According to one aspect of the optical inspection, the component conveyor of the component travels along the component path, and the pause time at each position is extremely short. In this case, during the movement or during the shortest pause time, one or more upper surfaces and / or side surfaces of the component are captured by the imaging device. Subsequently, the plurality of images are evaluated by means of image processing.

[0083] According to a variant of the optical detection / inspection, one or more color imaging sensors or black-and-white imaging sensors are provided as the imaging device, and in one variant, the sensors and the optical components are optimized for certain light wavelength ranges, for example for infrared light or white light or UV light.

[0084] The imaging sensor can correspond to one or more mirrors, optical prisms, lenses or such optical components. The imaging sensor can be assigned a radiation source or a light source. In this regard, each radiation source or light source is configured to emit light / radiation having different spectral ranges or wavelength ranges to illuminate at least a part of the component. The wavelength ranges can be at least partially deviated, overlapped or consistent. For example, the light of the first light source can be red, and the light of the second light source can be blue. However, the reverse correspondence or other wavelength pairs (such as infrared light and visible light) can also be selected.

[0085] The light source can be briefly turned on by the control device at the moment when the pick-up tool with the component is within the corresponding detection range, so that the upper surface and / or side surface of the component is exposed under a short flash for detection by the corresponding imaging sensor. Alternatively, permanent illumination can be applied.

[0086] In one variant, the device corresponds to a discharging device which is configured to release one component at a time from a structured component repository onto a pick-up tool correspondingly positioned by a control system. The discharging device can be a component ejector which ejects the component through a wafer carrier film with a needle, or a laser pulse generator which reduces the adhesion of the component to the carrier film in a targeted manner so that the component is separated from the carrier film. The discharging device is assigned a position and / or property sensor serving as an imaging device, which is configured to determine the position of the discharging device relative to the component to be released and / or the position data of the component to be released, and / or the properties of the component to be released, and to make them available to the control system for actuating the discharging device.

[0087] In one variant, when using the device, the pick-up tool of the turning device is configured to extend and retract in a controlled manner radially relative to the axis of rotation or the center of rotation of the turning device, and / or to be applied with negative pressure and / or overpressure in a controlled manner to receive or release the component to be transported, and / or to be immovable about its respective radial movement axis, or to rotate by a rotation angle in a controlled manner about its respective radial movement axis.

[0088] In one variant of the device, the valve provides a separate and suitably positioned negative pressure and overpressure feed line for each of the pick-up tools, in order to perform the following functions in a free or position-controlled manner: (i) sucking in the component, (ii) holding the component on the turning device during processing, in particular when centering and aligning the component on the pick-up tool and during subsequent inspection, (iii) placing the component with or without a controlled blowing pulse, and / or blowing the component off freely.

[0089] In one variant of the device, the turning device is assigned a position and property sensor in the form of an optical imaging detection device between the pick-up position and the placement point. These sensors are configured to record the position data and / or properties of the transported component and / or the position data for position adjustment of the pick-up tool and the placement point, and to make them available to the control system.

[0090] In one variant of the device, at least some of the position and property sensors are configured to inspect at least one upper surface and / or one or more side surfaces of the transported component to record its position data and / or properties and to make them available to the control system. In one variant of the component processing device, the turning device is assigned an integer number n of pick-up tools. Where n >= 2.

[0091] In one variant of the device, the position / property sensor is an imaging sensor with the same or different detection spectra, or a position sensor for ranging in a contact or non-contact manner, or a property sensor for detection in a contact or non-contact manner.

[0092] The position and characteristic sensor can be an imaging sensor, which has a straight optical axis or an optical axis bent by an optical lens, a mirror, a prism or a grating.

[0093] The imaging sensor system of the position and characteristic sensor, its mirror and the illumination unit can be combined in such a way due to their spatial layout that the inspection of the components on two sides can be realized in parallel at a single processing position. In this way, a total of two processing positions can be set on the flipping device for a complete inspection of the four sides of, for example, a square component. The upper surface of the component away from the picking tool can be inspected at a third processing position on the flipping device; the correct position of the component at the receiving point can be inspected with another imaging sensor.

[0094] Compared with the prior art, the variant proposed here has a lower cost, and provides a greater production volume of components, more inspection time and a smaller moving mass. Description of the Drawings

[0095] More features, characteristics, advantages and possible variants for those with ordinary knowledge in the relevant field will be described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings. Among them, the drawings schematically show an optical inspection device for components,

[0096] Figure 1 A side view of the device for processing components is shown, and the component is fed from the picking position to the dropping position via a flipping device.

[0097] Figure 1a 、 Figure 1b An (electronic) component is shown, which has a prismatic shape and a quadrilateral, square outer shape in a top view, with four sides, a lower top surface and an upper top surface.

[0098] Figure 2 It shows how multiple picking tools rotate around the flipping axis in the flipping plane on the flipping device, and how the component located on the corresponding picking tool is fed from the picking position to one or more orienting positions, one or more inspection positions, the dropping position and the ejection position during this process.

[0099] Figure 3 Three variants of the angular orientation of the component relative to the flipping plane are shown.

[0100] Figure 4 It shows how the picking tool picks up the component and how the component is transported along the transportation path of the component with the side to be optically inspected passing through two pairs of optical component inspection devices.

[0101] Figure 4aShows how a component with four sides to be optically inspected on a pick-up tool is inspected by two pairs of optical component inspection devices at a single inspection position.

[0102] Figure 5 Shows a device for calibration with two V-shaped sliders, which laterally feed multiple sliders from the outside to two opposite corners of component C. Then the sliders move to the opposite corners.

[0103] Figure 6 Shows how the component is transported from the pick-up position to the drop-off position along an orientation angled to the transport path, and two imaging devices and their lighting devices are provided at each of the two inspection positions.

[0104] Figure 7 Shows how to use a reflected light image to inspect the end face of the component and its position / orientation on the pick-up tool.

[0105] Figure 8 Shows the stroke devices provided at the pick-up position, orientation position and drop-off position of the component. Specific embodiments

[0106] Figure 1 Shows a component handling device for removing a prismatic component C in the form of an electronic semiconductor chip from a component repository BV and placing it on a receiving device 300, which can be configured, for example, as a slotted tape or carrier tape, a (thin film) substrate or a tray with (placement) slots arranged in multiple rows and columns. The component handling device proposed herein receives component C at the pick-up position 20 from a component repository BV horizontally arranged in the upper region of the component handling device, which in this form is a wafer disk and is accommodated in a holding and feeding device 30 facing the pick-up position 20.

[0107] In the shown variant (also see Figure 1a , Figure 1b ), component C is an electronic component with a prismatic and quadrangular outer shape in a top view, having four sides a, b, c, d and upper and lower top faces e, f of component C. The upper and lower top faces e, f of component C are prismatic.

[0108] The component handling device has a flipping device 150 in the form of a flipping wheel. At the radially outer edge region of the flipping device 150, a plurality of (16 in the shown variant, but can also be 8, 24, 32 or other numbers) pick-up tools 160 are arranged along the circumference of the flipping device 150 at equal angular intervals, and the flipping device has an annular or star-shaped outer shape.

[0109] Each of the pick-up tools 160 serves to pick up one of the components C from the component repository BV on the upper surface e of the component at the pick-up position 20. The turning device 150 has a motor drive such that the turning device 150 rotates about the turning axis WA within the turning plane WE. In this case, the turning plane coincides with the plane for the rotation of the pick-up tools 160. The turning axis WA coincides with the central axis of the wheel-shaped turning device 150. In the illustrated variant, during the rotation, the component C located on the pick-up tool 160 is fed from the pick-up position 20 into one or more (here one) orientation positions 22, 24, one or more inspection positions 26, 28, a drop position 32 and optionally into an ejection position 34.

[0110] For this purpose, the pick-up tools 160 are arranged radially outwards on the (imaginary) circumference of the star-shaped or wheel-shaped turning device 150 and carry the component C. The pick-up tools 160 are movable radially relative to the turning axis WA of the turning device 150 in the illustrated variant. Thus, these pick-up tools 160 pivot between the pick-up position 20 and the drop position 32 (or up to the ejection position 34) within a pivot angle (here between 0° and 180°) and convey the components each fixed to one of the pick-up tools 160.

[0111] In the illustrated variant, the unloading device 180 includes a needle controlled by a control system, or the unloading device releases the components C one by one from the component repository BV to supply them to the turning device 150, for example, in a non-contact manner using a laser beam. The pick-up tool is configured to receive the component from the component repository BV at the pick-up position 20 when each of the pick-up tools 160 is closest to the unloading device 180 at the 0° position of the turning device 150. Thus, the unloading device 180 sends one of the components C from the component repository BV in the holding and feeding device 30 to the corresponding pick-up tool 160 at the pick-up position 20 each time.

[0112] The holding and feeding device 30 is mounted so as to be rotatable about its central longitudinal axis such that the components C to be released from the component repository BV are aligned relative to the pick-up tools 160 at the pick-up position 20 in such a way that the sides a, b, c, d of the component C to be optically inspected that form an acute angle with the turning plane WE form an angle alpha of about 30° to about 60° with the turning plane WE, or the sides of the component C to be optically inspected that form an obtuse angle with the turning plane WE form an angle beta of about 120° to about 150° with the turning plane WE. Figure 3 Illustrating the above situation, three variants of the position of the component C relative to the turning plane WE within a given angular range are shown in the figure.

[0113] In other words, the lateral edges g of the component C, which are oriented substantially perpendicular to the upper or lower surface of the component C, are in front of the two sides a, b adjacent to the lateral edge g of the component C along the circumference of the turning device 150 on the turning path or transport path WB of the component C from the pick-up position 20 to the drop position 32 (or to the ejection position 34). This is in Figure 2 shown in

[0114] This ensures that the side of the component C to be optically inspected is not oriented transversely to the turning plane WE along the circumference of the turning device 150. In this way, the side of the component C to be inspected can be inspected without the imaging device and its lighting device entering the turning path WB or transport path of the component C, or without the component C on the pick-up tool 160 moving radially outwards or inwards to enter the optical path of the imaging device and its lighting device. However, on the transport path of the component C from the pick-up position 20 to the drop position 32 on a (single) turning device 150, all four sides can be inspected (for example, in the case where the component C has four sides). This cannot be achieved with the previously known devices, which require two turning devices orthogonal to each other, where the component is transported from one turning device to the other.

[0115] The pick-up tool 160 is connected to a pneumatic unit (not shown further) for sucking the component C into the pick-up tool 160, for holding the component C on the pick-up tool 160, for placing the component C with or without a controllable blowing pulse, and for freely blowing the component C out of the pick-up tool 160. Under the control of the control device, the pneumatic unit applies overpressure or negative pressure to each pick-up tool 160 in a valve-controlled manner at the necessary time points or time periods to pick up, hold and release the component C respectively.

[0116] Figure 1 The imaging device 320 (at 45°) is shown, which can be used to detect the position / orientation of the component C on the pick-up tool 160 before the component C is sent to the inspection positions 26, 28 and to evaluate it in the control device. Figure 1 The imaging device 332 (at 180°) is also shown, which can be used to detect the position / orientation of the component C in the receiving device 300 and to evaluate it in the control device, and the imaging device, which can be used to detect the position / orientation of the component C at the pick-up position and to evaluate it in the control device.

[0117] In the variant shown here, the component C is sent from the pick-up position to the drop position 32 with its sides a, b, c, d oriented at an angle of approximately 45° or 135° (± approximately 30°) relative to the turning plane WE. In this case, the turning path or transport path WB of the component C along the circumference of the turning device 150 is not affected by the components of the optical component inspection device.

[0118] Figure 4 Shown are two optical component inspection devices 302A, 302B, 304A, 304B in the form of high-definition (4 - 12 megapixels in one variant) imaging sensors and their lighting devices 306A, 306B, 308A, 308B (infrared light-emitting diode configurations in one variant) arranged in an X layout for performing transmitted light inspection at each of two consecutive inspection positions 26, 28. Among them, at the first inspection position 26, the first lighting device 306A points to the first imaging device 304A, and the second lighting device 308A points to the second imaging device 302A. At the second inspection position 28, the second lighting device 306B points to the first imaging device 304B, and the second lighting device 308B is aligned with the second imaging device 302B.

[0119] Thus, with the component C in the corresponding position, at each of the two consecutive inspection positions, two sides are simultaneously optically inspected without the imaging device and its lighting device entering the transport path of the component C, or without the component C on the pick-up tool 160 moving radially outward or inward to enter the optical path of the imaging device and its lighting device.

[0120] Figure 4 Specifically shown is how the pick-up tool 160 picks up the component C on the flipping device 150 and how the component C is transported along the circumferential direction of the flipping device 150 along the transport path WB of the component C with four sides a, b, c, d to be optically inspected through the above two pairs of optical component inspection devices. The plurality of optical component inspection devices are arranged at an angle outside the transport path WB of the component C on the flipping device 150, which is generally in the shape of an arc segment. A pair of the imaging devices 302A, 304A, 302B, 304B and their lighting devices 306A, 308A, 306B, 308B are respectively arranged at the inspection positions 26, 28 and inspect two adjacent sides a, b, c, d respectively.

[0121] Therefore, at the first inspection position 26, the adjacent sides d and a of the component C are inspected in transmitted light by the first pair of imaging devices 302A, 304A and their lighting devices 306A, 308A, and at the second inspection position 28, the adjacent sides c and b of the component C are inspected in transmitted light by the second pair of imaging devices 302B, 304B and their lighting devices 306B, 308B.

[0122] In a variant of the device, to further shorten the cycle, the first pair of imaging devices 302A, 304A and the second pair of imaging devices 302B, 304B can be respectively associated with independent image data processing devices for evaluating the image data of the detected sides of the component C, and the plurality of image data can be connected to the central machine control device.

[0123] In the shown variant, the component C is inspected in transmitted light (with infrared light). In this case, as an additional or alternative variant, it is also possible to adopt a configuration for inspection with reflected light, where the lighting devices 306, 308, for example, surround the imaging devices 302, 304 in an annular manner, or are constructed as an array (LED) emitting two different wavelengths and are directed at a position where the sides a, b, c, d to be inspected are in the corresponding inspection positions 26, 28.

[0124] Here, the optical component inspection device is on the edges respectively arranged outside the channels defined by the two lines K in Figure 4

[0125] Therefore, as lighting devices for infrared transmitted light inspection and / or for reflected light inspection, the imaging devices 302, 304 are respectively associated with infrared (IR) and / or reflected light lighting devices 306, 308. Each lighting device 306, 308 is activated by the control device, and when the pick-up tool 160 with the component C is within the detection area of the corresponding imaging devices 302, 304, the control device also synchronizes the image acquisition performed by the imaging devices 302, 304. In another variant, the lighting devices 306, 308 are permanently activated.

[0126] In a variant, before the optical inspection of the component C, the position and orientation of the component C on the pick-up tool 160 are corrected at one or more orientation positions 22, 24, or oriented to match the subsequent inspection. In Figure 4 the shown variant, the device for aligning the component C is used to orient the component C relative to the center of the pick-up tool 160, here specifically the central longitudinal axis of the pipette 162 of the pick-up tool 160, so that it is oriented at an angle to the transport path WB, which is 45° in the shown variant, or is oriented in the rotational direction relative to the central longitudinal axis of the pick-up tool 160. For this purpose, in Figure 4 ​In the shown variant, the devices for alignment are arranged at two orientation positions 22, 24 of the component C at an angle (about 45° or 135° ± about 30°) with respect to the flipping path WB respectively. The plurality of devices each have two sliders that can approach and move away from each other. Each of the sliders has a sliding section oriented towards the other sliding section, so that when the sliders are closed, they contact two opposite sides of the component C on the picking tool 160. Thereby, the component C is aligned for inspection.

[0127] If the component C is aligned at the two orientation positions 22, 24, the difficulty of focusing the imaging device and / or its lighting device at the subsequent two inspection positions is reduced. In another variant, the component C is aligned at an angle with respect to the flipping path WB only in one direction. Subsequently, the position of the component C relative to the picking tool 160 or its pipette 162 is detected by the imaging device 320 that is radially external, and optionally the characteristics of the upper surface of the component C away from the picking tool are also detected, and the focusing paths of the imaging devices 302, 304 and / or their lighting devices 306, 308 at the subsequent inspection positions 26, 28 are determined.

[0128] Subsequently, based on the determined plurality of focusing paths, the imaging devices 302, 304 and / or their lighting devices are moved by the control device at one of the subsequent inspection positions or at the subsequent two inspection positions, so as to perform focusing before / during / after the component C reaches the corresponding inspection positions 26, 28. In another variant not further shown, there are no orientation positions for aligning the component C. Rather, the position of the component C received from the component repository BV, which may be distorted by several degrees and several 1 / 100 millimeters up to several millimeters, is directly detected by the imaging device 320 that is radially external. The position is twisted by several degrees and several 1 / 100 millimeters up to several millimeters on the sliding component C as the case may be, and thereby the focusing paths of the imaging devices 302, 304 and / or their lighting devices 306, 308 at the subsequent two inspection positions 26, 28 are determined accordingly. Subsequently, the imaging device and / or its lighting device are moved via the control device so as to perform focusing before / during / after the component C reaches the corresponding inspection positions 26, 28.

[0129] If there are devices for alignment with two sliders that can approach and move away from each other, the sliders are used to push / rotate the component C in the direction oriented towards at least one of the two sliding sections during the picking tool 160 holding the component C towards the inspection position.

[0130] Figure 4aShows another variant of the X layout, at a single inspection position 26, how four imaging devices 302A, 304A, 302B, 304B are aligned with four sides a, b, c, d of the same component C to be inspected. The imaging devices 302A, 304A, 302B, 304B are respectively associated with lighting devices 306A, 306A, 308B, 308B, and the plurality of lighting devices illuminate the corresponding sides a, b, c, d of the component C to be inspected with incident light in one spectrum or multiple different spectra. Therefore, it is possible to acquire images of the corresponding sides through the corresponding imaging devices 302A, 304A, 302B, 304B.

[0131] Figure 5 Shows a variant in which two substantially V-shaped sliders 410, 412 are fed laterally from outside the channel defined by two lines K to two opposite corners of a component C, for example, in the shape of a quadrilateral. In this case, the component C is aligned parallel to the sides of the sliders 410, 412 and centered relative to the pipette 162 of the picking tool 160.

[0132] Figure 6 Shows a variant in which the component C (the side thereof facing the flipping path WB is, for example, at an angle of about 45° ± about 30° with respect to the flipping path WB) is sent from the picking position of the component C to the dropping position 32 of the component C in an orientation angled with respect to the flipping path WB, and two imaging devices 600 and their lighting devices 610 are respectively provided at two inspection positions 26, 28 (for clarity, Figure 6 only one of them is shown). The imaging device 600 and its lighting device 610 respectively correspond to deflection devices 440, 450 for the optical path in the form of mirrors here, and the plurality of imaging devices and their lighting devices can be moved into or out of the flipping path WB of the component C via corresponding linear drivers 420, 430 by a control system. Thus, the mirrors or prisms are designed to deflect / reflect completely or partially, and reach radially below the component C between two adjacent picking tools 160 at a position completely retracted into the flipping path WB of the component C. If necessary, the lighting device 610 can also respectively correspond to condenser lenses 680. Figure 6 The shown variant allows for transmission light photography to inspect the sides of the component C via infrared light. For incident light photography for inspecting the sides of the component C, as an alternative to or as a supplement to the lighting device 610, on the side of the component C facing away from the imaging device, a lighting device is provided on the imaging device side, which is, for example, formed as a lighting ring surrounding the object or its optical path, and the lighting device is aligned with the side or edge of the component C to be inspected. Therefore, in one variant, the sides can be illuminated with visible light, for example, blue light, and the light is reflected on the sides and detected by the imaging device.

[0133] Figure 7 The shown variant allows for reflective light imaging to inspect the end face f of the pipette 162 of the component C remote from the pick-up tool 160 and the position / orientation of the component C on the pipette 162 of the pick-up tool 160. In this variant, the imaging device 700 has illumination devices 710, 720, 730 comprising different wavelengths (here infrared, red, blue), and a deflection device 740 formed as a mirror 750 that is partially transparent to the illumination light in the illumination device 710, said mirror being for the light path from the imaging device 700 to the end face f of the component C. In the case where the illumination device 710 only provides light of visible wavelengths and can be arranged as an illumination ring around the deflection device 740, other illumination devices 720, 730 are optionally provided. In one variant, the imaging device 700, the illumination devices 710, 720, 730 are moved relative to the component C via respective linear drives 760, 770, 780 by a control system, and the deflection device 740 can also be moved as the case may be.

[0134] If necessary, in one variant (also see Figure 8 ), at one or more of the following positions, namely at the pick-up position 20 where the component C is picked up from the component magazine BV in the holding and feeding device 30, at the orientation position 22 for centering and aligning the component C on the pick-up tool 160, and at the drop position 32 for dropping the component C, a stroke device 900 is provided. The stroke device 900 is for respectively causing a radial (Z) stroke of the pick-up tool 160, said stroke being in the radial direction from the axis of rotation DA of the tipping device towards the component magazine BV for picking up the component C in the holding and feeding device 30, towards the device for centering and aligning the (component) C, and / or towards the receiving point 32 of the component C. In the shown variant, the stroke device 900 for the radial (Z) stroke has a cam / knob configuration 910, 920 at the respective positions such that the pick-up tool 160 is moved radially outwards in a controlled manner along the longitudinal direction of the pick-up tool 160. The return movement of the pick-up tool 160 is achieved by a spring configuration not further shown. As an alternative variant, servo motors can also be provided respectively. In this case, the magnitude of the lifting movement is determined such that the component C on the pick-up tool 160 is disengaged from other tipping paths WB. The rotary drive for the cam / knob configuration 910, 920 causes the cam 910 to rotate about an axis of rotation parallel to the tipping axis WA of the tipping device 150. By means of this rotary movement, the cam 910 actuates the rotatably mounted knob 920, the end of which facing away from the cam 910 is shaped as a tappet. The return movement of the knob 920 can also be achieved by a spring configuration. Advantageously, the cam / knob configuration 910, 920 and its rotary drive are arranged on the side of the tipping device 150 facing the motor drive of the tipping device 150.

[0135] In one variant, this configuration only has a flipping device that includes, for example, 24 picking tools. The flipping device rotates 45° (or within the range of 30° - 60°) relative to the X and Y main axes. In this variant, the component repository is arranged above the flipping device, and the placement position is arranged below the flipping device. An inspection system with (four) imaging sensors and a beam deflector (mirror) for performing side inspections on components at two inspection positions can directly inspect the sides on two non-parallel edges during the rotation or movement of the flipping device, without the Z-stroke of the picking tool. At the side inspection positions, there is no Z-stroke on the picking tool, thereby saving time and increasing the component throughput.

[0136] The method variants, device variants, their functions, and operations described herein are only for making the structure, working method, and characteristics easier to understand; the disclosure of this case is not limited to the multiple embodiments described. Some of the drawings are shown schematically, in which the main characteristics and effects are partially magnified significantly to illustrate the functions, working principles, technical variants, and features. Among them, any working method, principle, technical variant, and feature disclosed in the drawings or the text can be freely combined with any feature in any claim, specification, and other drawings, and any other working method, principle, technical variant, and feature included in or derivable from this disclosure. Any conceivable combination can be assigned to the processing method described herein. Additionally, the combinations between all individual implementation variants in each section of the specification and the claims, as well as the combinations between different variants in the specification, claims, and drawings, also belong to the disclosure of the present invention. The claims also do not limit the possible combinations between the disclosure of this application and all the disclosed features. Obviously, all disclosed features, whether they are individual features or combinations with all other features, belong to the disclosure of this application.

Claims

1. A device for processing a plurality of components (C), wherein the device is designed and configured to process a plurality of components (C) having a plurality of sides (a, b, …) and / or edges of the plurality of sides (a, b, …), the device has at least one pick-up tool arranged on a turning device, each for one of the plurality of components (C), the pick-up tool being designed and configured to pick up the component (C) on one of the plurality of top faces of the respective component, the turning device is designed and configured to rotate the pick-up tool about a turning axis (WA) within a turning plane (WE), and transfer the component (C) located on the pick-up tool from a pick-up position into one or more orientation positions, into one or more inspection positions, to a drop position, and into an ejection position, wherein the device includes a holding and feeding device for a component magazine towards the pick-up position, wherein, a discharging device is designed and configured to convey or feed each time one of the plurality of components (C) from the component magazine in the holding and feeding device towards the respective pick-up tool in the pick-up position, and the holding and feeding device is designed and configured to align the at least respective component (C) to be released in the component magazine (BV) relative to the pick-up tool in the pick-up position such that a side of the component (C) that forms an acute angle with the turning plane (WE) forms an angle of approximately 30° to approximately 60° with the turning plane (WE), or, a side of the component (C) that forms an obtuse angle with the turning plane (WE) forms an angle of approximately 120° to approximately 150° with the turning plane (WE), characterized in that the turning device is further designed and configured to transfer the component (C) from the pick-up position to the drop position in an orientation in which the plurality of sides (a, b, …) are angled relative to the turning plane (WE), and wherein a component inspection device is designed and configured to inspect the component (C) conveyed by the turning device in an orientation in which the plurality of sides (a, b, …) are angled relative to the turning plane (WE) at the inspection position.

2. The device for processing a plurality of components (C) according to claim 1, wherein, Two imaging devices and their lighting devices are arranged in an X layout at each inspection position as an optical component inspection device, such that a first side of the component (C) is inspected with a first lighting device and a first imaging device, and a second side adjacent to the first side is inspected with a second lighting device and a second imaging device.

3. The device for processing a plurality of components (C) according to claim 1, Among them, the pick-up tool is configured and designed to pick up a component (C) having four sides to be optically inspected, and two pairs of optical component inspection devices are arranged along the transport path (WB) of the component (C), the two pairs of optical component inspection devices being arranged in an angled layout outside the transport path (WB) of the component (C) along the circumference of the turning device, the transport path (WB) of the component (C) being generally in the shape of an arc segment.

4. The apparatus for processing a plurality of components (C) according to claim 2, wherein, A plurality of imaging devices are each assigned an infrared (IR) illumination device arranged opposite thereto as a plurality of illumination devices for infrared transmitted light inspection, wherein each illumination device is activated by a control device when a pick-up tool carrying the component is within the detection area of the corresponding imaging device, or the plurality of illumination devices are permanently activated.

5. The apparatus for processing a plurality of components (C) according to claim 3, wherein, The orientation position is for correcting the position and orientation of the component on the pick-up tool, wherein a device for aligning the component is provided, which is designed and configured to align the component relative to the center of the pick-up tool in at least one orientation angled with respect to the transport path (WB) and / or in a rotational direction relative to the central longitudinal axis of the pick-up tool.

6. The apparatus for processing a plurality of components (C) according to claim 5, wherein, The device for alignment has two sliders that can move towards and away from each other and include sliding sections oriented towards each other, which are designed and configured to contact at least partially two opposite first sides or sides of the component on the pick-up tool to align the component.

7. The device for processing a plurality of components (C) according to claim 6, wherein the slider is designed and configured to move the component in at least one of the following ways: during the pick-up tool holding the component (C), moving one of the two sliding sections to the inspection position and rotating it.

8. The device for processing a plurality of components (C) according to any one of claims 1 - 7, wherein the device has 8, 16, 24, 32, 48 or more pick-up tools arranged at equal angular distances along the circumference of the turning device, and the turning device has an annular or star-shaped outer shape.

9. The device for processing a plurality of components (C) according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein, At At the pick-up position for picking up the component (C) from the component magazine (BV) in the holding and feeding device, At the orientation position for centering and aligning the component (C) on the pick-up tool, and / or At the drop-off position for dropping off the component (C) A stroke device is provided to cause the pick-up tool to move radially away from the rotational axis (DA) of the turning device in each case along the following directions Along the component magazine in the holding and feeding device for picking up the component (C), Along the device for centering and aligning the component (C), and / or Along the receiving device for dropping off the component (C).

10. The apparatus for processing a plurality of components (C) according to claim 9, wherein, The stroke device includes a servo motor or a cam / bobbin configuration for radial (Z) stroke at the respective position in each case, so that the pick-up tool moves longitudinally along the pick-up tool in a controlled manner.

11. A method for processing a plurality of components (C), the plurality of components having a plurality of sides (a, b, …) and / or edges of the plurality of sides (a, b, …), the method having the following steps: Providing the component magazine (BV) in a holding and feeding device for the component magazine such that the component magazine faces the pick-up position, Via the discharging device, one of the plurality of components (C) is conveyed or fed from the component reservoir (BV) in the holding and feeding device towards the corresponding pick-up tool in the pick-up position in each case, The component (C) is picked up on the top surface of one of the plurality of components (C) via at least one pick-up tool arranged on the turning device, The pick-up tool is rotated about the axis of rotation (WA) in the turning plane (WE), The component (C) on the pick-up tool is fed from the pick-up position into one or more inspection positions, a plurality of orientation positions, a dropping position and an ejection position, The component reservoir (BV) in the holding and feeding device is aligned in such a way that at least the respective component (C) to be released is positioned relative to the pick-up tool in the pick-up position, such that The side surface of the component (C) which forms an acute angle with the turning plane (WE) forms an angle of approximately 30° to approximately 60° with the turning plane (WE), or The side surface of the component (C) which forms an obtuse angle with the turning plane (WE) forms an angle of approximately 120° to approximately 150° with the turning plane (WE), characterized in that The turning device conveys the component (C) from the pick-up position to the dropping position in an orientation in which the plurality of side surfaces (a, b, …) form an angle with the turning plane (WE), and in which The component inspection device inspects the component (C) conveyed by the turning device in an orientation in which the plurality of side surfaces (a, b, …) form an angle with the turning plane (WE) in the inspection position.

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