Inspection device

Abstract

The inspection device of the present invention includes: an upper mechanism including a platform on which an object to be inspected is provided; a lower mechanism supporting the upper mechanism in a rotatable manner; and a lifting mechanism supported by the upper mechanism in a lifting manner; wherein the lower mechanism includes: a rotation drive unit for rotating the upper mechanism; and a thrust output unit for driving the lifting mechanism in a lifting manner; and a conductive member that can be contacted or separated from the front end of the thrust output unit is provided at the lower end of the lifting mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an inspection apparatus for inspecting objects such as substrates. Background Technology

[0002] Previously, it was known that a type of printed circuit board (PCB) had wiring patterns formed symmetrically with each other on the same plane. To inspect such PCBs, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-36625, a PCB inspection apparatus is known that, with the PCB held in place by an upper and lower inspection clamp, a test pin provided on the upper inspection clamp contacts the wiring formed on the upper surface of the PCB, thereby checking the continuity or insulation between the test pin and the wiring.

[0003] The printed circuit board inspection apparatus is equipped with a substrate reversing unit to reverse the orientation of the printed circuit board placed on the tray. Furthermore, it is configured such that after inspecting the wiring pattern formed in a certain direction on the printed circuit board, the stage on which the tray is placed is rotated 180 degrees to change the orientation of the printed circuit board, and the wiring pattern of the reversed wiring pattern on the printed circuit board placed on the tray is inspected using the same procedure as in the forward direction.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-36625 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] However, when the table is rotated in the above manner, if the table is heavy, the load on the rotation drive unit will increase. On the other hand, if the goal is to increase the functionality of the table, there is a risk of increasing the weight in order to achieve the desired functionality.

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to provide an inspection device that aims to enhance the functionality of the driven object driven by the rotary drive unit and easily reduce concerns about increased load on the rotary drive unit due to increased weight.

[0010] Technical means to solve the problem

[0011] An example of the inspection device of the present invention includes: an upper mechanism including a stage on which a surface for an object to be inspected is provided; a lower mechanism supporting the upper mechanism in a rotatable manner; and a lifting mechanism supported by the upper mechanism in a lifting manner. The lower mechanism includes: a rotation drive unit for rotating the upper mechanism; and a thrust output unit positioned opposite the lifting mechanism to drive the lifting mechanism in a lifting manner. The lifting mechanism is positioned opposite the thrust output unit when the rotation angle of the upper mechanism relative to the lower mechanism is a preset angle. A conductive member that can contact or detach from the front end of the thrust output unit is provided at the lower end of the lifting mechanism.

[0012] Furthermore, an example of the inspection apparatus of the present invention further includes: a conveying mechanism for conveying the object to be inspected; a control unit for controlling the lifting force output unit and the conveying mechanism; and an inspection unit for inspecting the object to be inspected placed on the mounting surface. The conveying mechanism includes an object holding unit for holding the object to be inspected. The control unit is configured to perform the following controls: operate the lifting force output unit to cause the upper end of the protruding rod to protrude toward the lifting position; operate the conveying mechanism to cause the object to be held by the object holding unit, conveyed to above the mounting surface and placed on the upper end of the protruding rod, and to cause the object holding unit to retract from below the object to be inspected; and stop the operation of the lifting force output unit to lower the plurality of protruding rods to the retracted position, thereby placing the object to be inspected on the mounting surface.

[0013] The effects of the invention

[0014] This type of inspection device allows for high functionality of the driven object driven by the rotary drive unit, and easily reduces concerns about increased load on the rotary drive unit due to increased weight. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of an inspection device according to an example of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional view showing the structure of the platform of the inspection device.

[0017] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Sectional view of line III-III.

[0018] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 Sectional view of line IV-IV.

[0019] Figure 5 It indicates that it is different from itself. Figure 2A three-dimensional view of the state of the stage from different angles.

[0020] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 VI-VI line cross-sectional diagram.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view showing the descending state of the pressing component.

[0022] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 The cross-sectional view of line VIII-VIII.

[0023] Figure 9 It is a three-dimensional diagram showing the specific structure of the lower mechanism.

[0024] Figure 10 It is a plan view showing the specific structure of the object being inspected.

[0025] Figure 11 It is a step diagram showing the control actions of the control unit.

[0026] Figure 12 This is a plan view showing a modified example of a unit substrate disposed on the object of inspection.

[0027] Figure 13 This is a plan view showing other variations of the unit substrate disposed on the object under inspection.

[0028] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0029] 1: Inspection device

[0030] 2: Platform

[0031] 4: Moving and transporting organizations

[0032] 5: Inspection Department

[0033] 6: Control Department

[0034] 10: Inspect the object holding section

[0035] 33: Taiwan

[0036] 34: Upper structure

[0037] 35: Subordinate Organization

[0038] 36: Placement surface

[0039] 40: Rotary drive unit

[0040] 43: First lifting and lowering mechanism

[0041] 44: Second lifting mechanism

[0042] 53: Pressing component

[0043] 55, 64: Force-applying components

[0044] 56: Cylinder

[0045] 57, 67: Conducting components (roller components)

[0046] 58, 66: Axles

[0047] 59, 68: Thrust output section

[0048] 60, 69: Plane

[0049] 61: Lifting bar

[0050] 62: Lifting plate

[0051] 63: Protruding rod

[0052] 65: Cylinder

[0053] 71: Supporting components

[0054] 72: Inspect the clamps

[0055] 100: Object to be inspected

[0056] 101: First unit substrate

[0057] 102: Second unit substrate Detailed Implementation

[0058] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, structures marked with the same symbol in each figure represent the same structure, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0059] Figure 1 The inspection device 1 shown generally includes a platform 2 for the object to be inspected 100, a conveying mechanism 4, an inspection unit 5, a control unit 6, and a support frame 7 supporting these. In each figure, the XYZ orthogonal coordinate axes are shown as needed to clarify directional relationships. The Z-direction corresponds to the height direction of the platform 2. The X-direction corresponds to the height direction of the platform 2. Figure 1 The depth direction of stage 2, which is orthogonal to the plane of the paper. The Y direction corresponds to the direction along... Figure 1 The width direction of the mounting platform 2 extending in the left and right directions.

[0060] The inspection unit 5 includes an inspection fixture 72, which includes a conductive rod-shaped probe Pr and a support member 71 that supports multiple probes Pr.

[0061] The conveying mechanism 4 includes a base 8 and a conveying drive 9 supported thereon, which has a conventionally known robotic arm or the like. An inspection object holding part 10 is provided at the front end of the conveying drive 9. The inspection object holding part 10 includes a holding plate or clamp that is generally in the shape of a fork or a flat plate.

[0062] The conveying drive unit 9 has functions such as moving the inspection object holding unit 10 horizontally and vertically. Furthermore, when inspecting the inspection object 100, the conveying mechanism 4 removes the inspection object 100 from the supply box (not shown) and conveys it to the placement table 2. After the inspection of the inspection object 100 is completed, the conveying mechanism 4 removes the inspection object 100 from the placement table 2 and moves it to the storage box (not shown) placement unit.

[0063] A first moving mechanism 13 is provided below the loading platform 2, including a lifting drive mechanism that drives the loading platform 2 to move up and down in the Z direction. A second moving mechanism 14 is provided below the first moving mechanism 13, including a screw feeding mechanism that moves the loading platform 2 and the first moving mechanism 13 in the X direction. Furthermore, a third moving mechanism 15 is provided below the second moving mechanism 14, including a screw feeding mechanism that moves the loading platform 2, the first moving mechanism 13, and the second moving mechanism 14 in the Y direction.

[0064] The mounting stage 2 includes an upper mechanism 34, including a platform 33 for placing the inspection object 100; and a lower mechanism 35, disposed below the upper mechanism 34. Furthermore, a positioning camera 37 and a laser displacement meter 38 are mounted above the mounting stage 2. The positioning camera 37 and the laser displacement meter 38 have the function of detecting the placement position and angle of the inspection object 100 placed on the platform 33.

[0065] The control unit 6 has the function of determining whether the placement position and angle of the inspection object 100 placed on the stage 33 are appropriate based on the detection signals from the alignment camera 37 and the laser displacement meter 38. The control unit 6 performs the following control: fine-tuning the placement position of the inspection object 100, etc., based on the determination result.

[0066] like Figure 2 As shown, the upper mechanism 34 includes: an upper body 42, which is rotated by a rotation drive unit 40 disposed on the lower mechanism 35; and first lifting action units 43a, 43b, and second lifting action units 44a and 44b, which are supported by the upper body 42 in a lifting and lowering manner. Furthermore, in Figure 2 and Figure 3In the diagram, symbol 43a represents the first lifting mechanism located on one side of the platform 2, and symbol 43b represents the first lifting mechanism located on the other side of the platform 2. Similarly, symbol 44a represents the second lifting mechanism located on one side of the platform 2, and symbol 44b represents the second lifting mechanism located on the other side of the platform 2.

[0067] The upper body 42 includes: a platform 33 having a mounting surface 36 for the inspection object 100; a support plate 45 supporting the platform 33; an intermediate plate 46 fixed to the lower surface of the support plate 45; and a rotating body 47 fixed to the lower surface of the intermediate plate 46 (see reference). Figure 3 Furthermore, the rotating body 47 is driven to rotate by the rotation drive unit 40. Thus, the platform 33 is configured to rotate, for example, 180 degrees when viewed from above.

[0068] The upper end of the suction pipe 49 is mounted on the support plate 45 to suction air from the gap 48 between the support plate 45 and the platform 33. A rotary joint 50 is provided at the lower end of the suction pipe 49. A pipe 19 connected to the rotary joint 50, which communicates with a vacuum device (not shown), is connected to the rotary joint 50. Furthermore, a suction hole (not shown) is formed in the platform 33 to allow the object to be inspected 100 to adhere to the mounting surface 36 according to the suction force of the vacuum device.

[0069] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the first lifting mechanism 43 includes a guide sleeve 51 disposed on the intermediate plate 46, and a pair of lifting rods 52 supported by the guide sleeve 51 in a lifting manner. A pressing member 53 is fixed to the upper end of the lifting rods 52. A lower plate 54 is fixed to the lower end of the lifting rods 52. Furthermore, a force-applying member 55, including a compression spring, is disposed between the lower plate 54 and the support plate 45 of the upper body 42. The force-applying member 55 presses the lower plate 54 downwards and the pressing member 53... Figure 8 The force is applied in the direction of pressing down at the pressing position S1 shown.

[0070] like Figure 3 and Figure 7 As shown, a conductive member 57, which can be contacted or separated from the front end of the thrust output section 59 of the lower mechanism 35, is disposed at the lower end of the first lifting action section 43. The conductive member 57 is formed from the lower surface of the upper mechanism 34, which is typically made of mild steel. Specifically... Figure 6The lower surface 54a of the lower plate 54 shown is formed from a raw material harder than the lower surface 54a. For example, the conductive member 57 is formed from a roller member, including high-carbon chromium bearing steel quenched at a specific temperature. Furthermore, the conductive member 57, including the roller member, is supported in a manner that allows it to rotate freely about an axis 58 orthogonal to the lifting direction of the first lifting action unit 43. The axis 58 is formed from a raw material harder than the lower surface of the upper mechanism 34, such as a raw material quenched at a specific temperature from carbon steel containing S45C for mechanical structures. Furthermore, Figure 7 It is different Figure 6 The cross-sectional view at the location shows the state where the front end self-conducting member 57 of the thrust output section 59 is separated.

[0071] The thrust output unit 59 outputs a pressing force to raise the first lifting action unit 43. In this embodiment, for example, by... Figure 7 The piston rod of the cylinder 56, positioned in the Z direction, constitutes the thrust output section 59. Furthermore, the thrust output section 59 rises according to the driving gas supplied to the cylinder 56 from a gas source not shown in the figure, becoming a protruding part of the cylinder 56. As a result, the front end of the thrust output section 59 contacts the lower surface of the transmission member 57. Figure 7 As shown, the front end of the lifting force output section 59 is formed on a plane 60 extending in a direction orthogonal to the lifting direction of the first lifting action section 43. Furthermore, the lifting force output section 59 is not limited to a piston rod driven by the cylinder 56. For example, the lifting force output section 59 may also be constituted by a push rod driven by a push-pull electromagnet or a push-pull motor.

[0072] Furthermore, when the front end of the lifting force output section 59 contacts the transmission member 57, a lifting force is applied to the transmission member 57 to push up the lower plate 54 and the lifting rod 52 via the transmission member 57. As a result, as... Figure 6 As shown, the pressing member 53 is in a raised position U1, which is pushed up above the inspection object 100 placed on the mounting surface 36 of the table 33.

[0073] On the other hand, if the supply of driving gas to cylinder 56 is stopped, the lower surface of the self-conducting member 57 at the front end of the thrust output section 59 separates. Then, the pressing member 53 is pressed down to the lower pressing position S1 by the force applied by the force applying member 55 (see reference). Figure 8 The result is, as Figure 8 As shown, the end of the inspection object 100, which is placed on the mounting surface 36 of the table 33, is pressed against the mounting surface 36 by the pressing member 53. Thus, if the inspection object 100 warps, the warping is corrected.

[0074] That is, there are cases where the inspection object 100 is prone to warping depending on its material. This warping can be partially corrected by drawing air through the suction orifice provided on the platform 33 to bring the inspection object 100 into close contact with the mounting surface 36. However, in cases where warping occurs, for example, at the end of the inspection object 100 that separates from the mounting surface 36 relative to its central portion, the aforementioned suction force alone is insufficient to correct the warping. In such cases, the warping of the inspection object 100 can be effectively corrected by utilizing the pressing force of the pressing member 53.

[0075] like Figure 8 As shown, the second lifting action part 44 includes: a lifting plate 62, which is supported in a manner that allows it to be lifted and lowered along the lifting rod 61; multiple protruding rods 63, which protrude upward from the front end of the lifting plate 62; and a force-applying member 64, including a compression disc spring that applies force downward to the lifting plate 62.

[0076] A conductive member 67, which can be contacted or separated from the front end of the thrust output section 68 of the lower mechanism 35, is disposed at the lower end of the second lifting action section 44. Specifically, a shaft 66 orthogonal to the lifting direction of the second lifting action section 44 is disposed at a position opposite to the thrust output section 68. Furthermore, the conductive member 67 is composed of roller members such as roller bearings that are supported in a manner that allows them to rotate freely about the shaft 66. Similar to the conductive member 57 and shaft 58 of the first lifting action section 43, the conductive member 67 and shaft 66 are formed by the lower surface of the upper mechanism 34, specifically... Figure 7 The lower surface 62a of the lifting plate 62 shown is formed of a harder raw material. Furthermore, Figure 7 This indicates that the front end self-conducting member 67 of the thrust output section 68 is separated.

[0077] The thrust output unit 68 outputs a pressing force to raise the second lifting action unit 44. In this embodiment, for example, along... Figure 7 The piston rod of the cylinder 65, positioned in the Z direction, constitutes the thrust output section 68. Furthermore, based on the driving gas supplied to the cylinder 65 from a gas source not shown in the figure, the thrust output section 68 protrudes from the cylinder 65. As a result, the front end of the thrust output section 68 contacts the lower surface of the transmission member 67. Moreover, as... Figure 7 As shown, the front end of the thrust output section 68 is formed on a plane 69 extending in a direction orthogonal to the lifting direction of the second lifting action section 44.

[0078] Furthermore, when the front end of the lifting force output section 68 contacts the transmission member 67, a pressing force is applied to the transmission member 67 to push the lifting plate 62 and the protruding rod 63 upwards via the transmission member 67. As a result, as... Figure 3As shown, the upper end of the protruding rod 63 passes through the platform 33 and the support plate 45, and protrudes to the pushing position U2, which is higher than the mounting surface 36.

[0079] On the other hand, if the supply of driving gas to cylinder 56 is stopped, the lower surface of the self-conducting member 67 at the front end of the thrust output section 68 separates. Then, according to the applied force of the force-applying member 64, the upper end of the protruding rod 63 is pressed down to the lower retracted position S2 (see reference). Figure 8 The result is, as Figure 8 As shown, the upper end of the protruding rod 63 is recessed further downwards from the mounting surface 36 of the platform 33. Furthermore, the lifting force output section 68 is not limited to a piston rod driven by the cylinder 65 for lifting. For example, the lifting force output section 68 may also be constituted by a push rod driven by a push-pull electromagnet or a push-pull motor for lifting.

[0080] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the lower mechanism 35 includes a rotation drive unit 40 that rotates the upper mechanism 34. Furthermore, as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in the lower mechanism 35, a lifting force output section 59 for lifting drive first lifting action section 43a and first lifting action section 43b, and a lifting force output section 68 for lifting drive second lifting action section 44a and second lifting action section 44b are provided at specific positions. The rotary drive section 40 includes a direct drive motor, etc., and the direct drive motor includes a drive plate 41 that rotates the rotating body 47 of the upper mechanism 34. Furthermore, an opening for inserting a suction tube 49 is formed in the center of the rotary drive section 40.

[0081] Thrust output unit 59 and thrust output unit 68 are respectively disposed in and respectively disposed in Figure 6 and Figure 8 The first lifting action unit 43 and the second lifting action unit 44 on both sides in the X direction are positioned facing each other. Furthermore, when the upper mechanism 34 is driven to rotate 180 degrees by the rotary drive unit 40, it is also arranged such that the thrust output unit 59 faces the transmission member (roller member) 57 of the first lifting action unit 43, and the thrust output unit 68 faces the transmission member (roller member) 67 of the second lifting action unit 44. Additionally, air pipes 16 and 17 (see reference) are respectively connected to the cylinders 56 and 65 of the lifting drive thrust output unit 59 and thrust output unit 68. Figure 5 ).

[0082] The inspection object 100 may include various substrates such as glass epoxy boards, flexible substrates, ceramic multilayer wiring substrates, electrode plates for liquid crystal displays or plasma displays, transparent conductive plates for touch screens, and packaging substrates or film carriers for semiconductor packaging.

[0083] Also, such as Figure 10 As shown, the inspection object 100 is provided with multiple first unit substrates 101 arranged in the same direction as the wiring and multiple second unit substrates 102 arranged in opposite directions. When the inspection object 100 is viewed from above, the first unit substrates 101 and the second unit substrates 102 form a point-symmetric pattern centered on point O.

[0084] based on Figure 11 The step diagram shown illustrates the control operation when the inspection object 100 is inspected by the inspection device 1 with the above-described structure. First, the control unit 6 performs the following control: in the loading step K1, the conveying mechanism 4, etc., is operated to take the inspection object 100 out of the supply box and transport it to the placement table 2, and place it on the placement surface 36 of the table 33.

[0085] Specifically, such as Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown, the control unit 6 controls the pressing members 53 of the first lifting action units 43a and 43b to rise to the raised position U1. Furthermore, the control unit 6 controls the upper ends of the protruding rods 63 of the second lifting action units 44a and 44b to rise to the pushed position U2. Next, the control unit 6 controls the transport mechanism 4 to transport the inspection object 100 upwards towards the protruding rod 63. Then, the control unit 6 controls the inspection object 100 to be transferred upwards from the inspection object holding part 10 of the transport mechanism 4 to the upper end of the protruding rod 63 by lowering the inspection object holding part 10. Furthermore, the control unit 6 controls the inspection object holding part 10 to be lowered to a position closer to the retracted position than the upper end of the protruding rod 63 and then retracted from below the inspection object 100.

[0086] Then, the control unit 6 executes control to press the pressing member 53 down to the pressing position S1. Thus, as... Figure 8 As shown, the end of the inspection object 100, placed on the mounting surface 36 of the platform 33, is pressed against the mounting surface 36 by the pressing member 53. Furthermore, the control unit 6 performs control to press the upper end of the protruding rod 63 downward to the retracted position S2. Thus, as... Figure 8 As shown, the upper end of the protruding rod 63 is retracted further downward toward the mounting surface 36 of the platform 33. Then, the control unit 6 performs the following control: by operating the vacuum device (not shown), air is drawn in through the suction orifice, causing the object to be inspected 100 to adhere to the mounting surface 36.

[0087] Subsequently, in the judgment step K2, the control unit 6 performs the following control: based on the detection signals from the alignment camera 37 and the laser displacement meter 38, it determines whether the placement position of the inspection object 100 on the placement surface 36 of the placement stage 2 is appropriate. Based on the judgment result, in the adjustment step K3, the control unit 6 operates the first moving mechanism 13, the second moving mechanism 14, and the third moving mechanism 15. Furthermore, the control unit 6 operates the rotation drive unit 40 as needed. Thus, the placement position and placement angle of the inspection object 100 are finely adjusted.

[0088] Subsequently, in the movement step K4, the control unit 6 performs the following control: outputs a run command signal to the second movement mechanism 14, causing the platform 2 to move towards the inspection unit 5. Then, in the first inspection step K5, the control unit 6 causes the probe Pr to contact the inspected part of the inspection object 100, and inspects the inspection object 100.

[0089] At the point when the inspection of the first unit substrate 101 is completed, in the reversal step K6, the rotation drive unit 40 of the lower mechanism 35 is activated, causing the upper mechanism 34 to rotate 180 degrees. As a result, the orientation of the inspection object 100 placed on the stage 33 is reversed when viewed from above. Subsequently, in the second inspection step K7, the control unit 6 causes the probe Pr to contact the inspected portion of the inspection object 100, and the inspection object 100 is inspected.

[0090] As described above, at the point when the inspection of the inspection object 100 is completely completed, in the removal step K8, the control unit 6 executes control to remove the inspection object 100 from the placement table 2 and move it to the storage box setting unit. Specifically, the control unit 6 outputs a control signal to operate the second moving mechanism 14, causing the placement table 2 to move from the inspection unit 5 to the storage box setting unit. Figure 1 The original position shown has been moved. Also, as... Figure 3 As shown, the control unit 6 controls the lifting of the pressing member 53 of the first lifting action unit 43 and the protruding rod 63 of the second lifting action unit 44. This pushes the object to be inspected 100 upwards onto the mounting surface 36 via the protruding rod 63.

[0091] Subsequently, the control unit 6 controls the inspection object holding part 10 to rise after it enters between the placement surface 36 and the inspection object 100. This transfers the inspection object 100 from the upper end of the protruding rod 63 onto the inspection object holding part 10. Then, the control unit 6 operates the conveying mechanism 4 to move the inspection object 100 from the placement platform 2 onto the storage box, thus storing it inside the storage box.

[0092] The aforementioned inspection device 1 includes a platform 2, which is divided into: an upper mechanism 34, including a table 33 on which a mounting surface 36 for the inspection object 100 is provided; and a lower mechanism 35, which rotatably supports the upper mechanism 34. Furthermore, the upper mechanism 34 supports a first lifting action unit 43 and a second lifting action unit 44 in a height-lifting manner. On the other hand, the lower mechanism 35 is provided with: a rotation drive unit 40 to rotate the upper mechanism 34; and a thrust output unit 59 and a thrust output unit 68, which drive the first lifting action unit 43 and the second lifting action unit 44 in a height-lifting manner.

[0093] According to the above structure, when inspecting the object 100, a large load is not applied to the rotary drive unit 40, and the object 100 supported by the upper mechanism 34 can rotate when viewed from above. Therefore, for example, Figure 10 As shown, when multiple first unit substrates 101 and multiple second unit substrates 102 provided on the inspection object 100 are formed in a point-symmetric pattern, these inspections can be easily and appropriately performed.

[0094] That is, the heavy-duty rotary drive unit 40, including a direct drive motor, or the cylinders 56 and 65 of the lifting drive thrust output unit 59 and thrust output unit 68 are installed in the lower mechanism 35. Therefore, the upper mechanism 34 can be lightweight, and the upper mechanism 34 can be easily rotated with light force. Therefore, the inspection of the first unit substrate 101 and the second unit substrate 102 can be performed easily and appropriately.

[0095] Furthermore, the front ends of the lifting force output sections 59 and 68 located in the lower mechanism 35 are arranged in a manner that allows them to contact or separate from the transmission members 57 and 67 located at the lower ends of the first lifting action section 43 and the second lifting action section 44. By bringing the front ends of the lifting force output sections 59 and 68 into contact with the transmission members 57 and 67, the first lifting action section 43 and the second lifting action section 44 can be driven to move up and down. Also, when the upper mechanism 34 is rotated, the front ends of the lifting force output sections 59 and 68 can be separated from the transmission members 57 and 67. Therefore, the upper mechanism 34 can be rotated with less force.

[0096] Therefore, the upper mechanism 34, which is driven by the rotary drive unit 40, can be equipped with the first lifting action unit 43 and the second lifting action unit 44, thereby achieving high functionality of the upper mechanism 34. Furthermore, since the cylinders 56 and 65 that drive the first lifting action unit 43 and the second lifting action unit 44 are located in the lower mechanism 35 instead of the upper mechanism 34, the increase in weight of the upper mechanism 34 can be reduced. Thus, the upper mechanism 34 driven by the rotary drive unit 40 can be highly functional, and concerns about increased load on the rotary drive unit 40 due to increased weight can be easily reduced.

[0097] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a rotary joint 50 is provided at the lower end of the suction tube 49, and the suction force of the vacuum device (not shown) is activated via the piping 19 connected to the rotary joint 50. Therefore, the rotary joint 50 can absorb the rotational force when the support plate 45 of the upper mechanism 34, on which the upper end of the suction tube 49 is mounted, rotates.

[0098] In the above embodiment, when the rotation angle of the upper mechanism 34 relative to the lower mechanism 35 is a preset angle, the first lifting action unit 43 and the second lifting action unit 44 are positioned facing the lifting force output unit 59 and the lifting force output unit 68. They are configured such that the first lifting action unit 43 and the second lifting action unit 44 are activated by the front ends of the lifting force output units 59 and 68 contacting the transmission members 57 and 67, including roller members made of a raw material harder than the lower surface of the upper mechanism 34. Therefore, when the upper mechanism 34 is rotated to a specific preset angle, the first lifting action unit 43 and the second lifting action unit 44 are activated appropriately. Furthermore, when the front ends of the lifting force output units 59 and 68 contact the transmission members 57 and 67, deformation of the transmission members 57 and 67 can be prevented. Furthermore, when the front ends of the lifting force output sections 59 and 68 come into contact with the transmission members 57 and 67, including roller members, and the transmission members 57 and 67 are raised, there is a possibility that the transmission members 57 and 67 may rotate. Therefore, when the transmission members 57 and 67 are raised, it is preferable to provide a structure with a limiting mechanism that limits the rotation of the transmission members 57 and 67 by electromagnetic force.

[0099] When the upper mechanism 34 is rotated 180 degrees in a top-down view, it is located in Figure 3 The first lifting action unit 43a and the second lifting action unit 44a on the left side become located in Figure 3 The state on the right side. Meanwhile, located on... Figure 3 The first lifting actuator 43b and the second lifting actuator 44b on the right side become located at Figure 3 The left side state. Therefore, the transmission members 57 and 67 provided on the upper mechanism 34 and the lifting force output parts 59 and 68 provided on the lower mechanism 35 are respectively in a facing state. Therefore, in the above embodiment, when the upper mechanism 34 is rotated 180 degrees, the first lifting action parts 43a, 43b, and the second lifting action parts 44a and 44b can be activated respectively, thereby lifting and driving the pressing member 53 and the protruding rod 63.

[0100] Furthermore, it can also be configured such that the four first lifting action parts 43 and the second lifting action parts 44 are respectively arranged in four opposing positions when viewed from above in the upper mechanism 34. According to the aforementioned structure, as... Figure 12 As shown, when the first unit substrate 101a and the second unit substrate 102a are arranged with a 90-degree rotation angle centered at point O, these checks can be performed easily and appropriately. Furthermore, as... Figure 13 As shown, when the first unit substrate 101b and the second unit substrate 102b are arranged with a rotation angle of 270 degrees centered at point O, these checks can also be performed easily and appropriately.

[0101] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the transmission members 57 and 67 are composed of roller members that are rotatably supported about shafts 58 and 66 located at the lower ends of the first lifting action unit 43 and the second lifting action unit 44. Also, the front ends of the lifting force output parts 59 and 68 facing the transmission members 57 and 67 are formed on planes 60 and 69 extending in a direction orthogonal to the lifting direction of the first lifting action unit 43 and the second lifting action unit 44. Therefore, it has the advantage that even when the inspection object 100 is pressed against the mounting surface by the pressing member 53 of the first lifting action unit 43, the platform 33 of the upper mechanism 34 can be easily rotated.

[0102] That is, when the detection signals from the alignment camera 37 and the laser displacement meter 38 confirm a slight deviation in the placement angle θ of the inspection object 100 when viewed from above, in order to correct the deviation, it is necessary to rotate the upper mechanism 34 by only a small angle via the rotation drive unit 40. In this case, by rotating the transmission members 57 and 67, the upper mechanism 34 can be rotated smoothly without generating large frictional forces.

[0103] In the above embodiment, when the front end of the lifting force output section 59 contacts the transmission member 57, the pressing member 53, which is pushed to an upward position U1 above the mounting surface 36 of the platform 33, is provided in the first lifting action section 43. Furthermore, when the front end of the lifting force output section 59 separates from the transmission member 57, the force-applying member 55, which presses the pressing member 53 downward to the pressing position S1, is provided in the first lifting action section 43. Therefore, when inspecting the object 100, the pressing member 53 can be quickly and smoothly lowered to the pressing position S1 by the applied force of the force-applying member 55. Therefore, even if the end of the object 100 warps, the warping of the object 100 can be appropriately corrected by pressing the end of the object 100 against the mounting surface 36 via the pressing member 53.

[0104] That is, depending on the material of the inspection object 100, there is a possibility that the inspection object 100 is prone to warping, and there is a possibility that the warping occurs at the end of the inspection object 100 relative to the central portion, separating from the mounting surface 36. In this case, when inspecting the inspection object 100, by pressing the pressing member 53 downward to the pressing position S1, the warping of the inspection object 100 can be effectively corrected by the pressing force of the pressing member 53. Furthermore, after the inspection of the inspection object 100 is completed, by raising the pressing member 53 to the rising position U1, which is higher than the mounting surface 36 of the inspection object 100, the removal operation of the inspection object 100 can be easily performed.

[0105] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the object to be inspected 100 is configured such that when it is transported and placed on the mounting surface 36 by the conveying mechanism 4, the upper end of the protruding rod 63 of the second lifting action unit 44 protrudes upwards beyond the mounting surface 36. This facilitates the easy transfer of the object to be inspected 100 from the object holding unit 10 onto the protruding rod 63. Moreover, after the transport operation of the object to be inspected 100 is completed, the upper end of the protruding rod 63 is retracted downwards beyond the mounting surface 36, allowing the object to be placed on the mounting surface 36.

[0106] Furthermore, the inspection device 1 of the above embodiment includes: a platform 2 having the above-described structure; a conveying mechanism 4 for conveying the inspection object 100; a control unit 6 for controlling the lifting force output unit 59, the lifting force output unit 68, and the conveying mechanism 4; and an inspection unit 5 for inspecting the inspection object 100 placed on the platform 36. Additionally, the conveying mechanism 4 is provided with an inspection object holding unit 10 for holding the inspection object 100. Furthermore, the control unit 6 is configured to perform the following controls: control to operate the lifting force output unit 68 to cause the upper end of the protruding rod 63 to protrude toward the lifting position U2; control to operate the conveying mechanism 4 to cause the inspection object 100 to be held by the inspection object holding unit 10, control to convey it above the placement surface 36 and place it on the upper end of the protruding rod 63, and control to cause the inspection object holding unit 10 to retract from below the inspection object 100; and control to stop the operation of the lifting force output unit 68 and cause the upper ends of the multiple protruding rods 63 to descend to the retraction position S2, thereby placing the inspection object 100 on the placement surface.

[0107] According to the structure, when inspecting the object 100, the following operations can be easily performed: the operation of conveying the object 100, which is transported to the mounting surface 36 by the conveying mechanism 4, from the object holding part 10 to the protruding rod 63; the operation of placing the object 100 on the mounting surface 36; and the operation of retracting the object holding part 10 from below the object 100.

[0108] As described above, an example of the inspection device of the present invention includes: an upper mechanism including a stage on which a surface for inspecting an object is provided; a lower mechanism supporting the upper mechanism in a rotatable manner; and a lifting mechanism supported by the upper mechanism in a lifting manner. Furthermore, the lower mechanism includes: a rotation drive unit for rotating the upper mechanism; and a thrust output unit positioned opposite the lifting mechanism to drive the lifting mechanism in a lifting manner; and the lifting mechanism is positioned opposite the thrust output unit when the rotation angle of the upper mechanism relative to the lower mechanism is a preset angle, and a conductive member that can contact or separate from the front end of the thrust output unit is provided at the lower end of the lifting mechanism.

[0109] According to the structure described, the upper mechanism is driven by a rotary drive unit. Furthermore, a lifting action unit, driven by a lifting force output unit, is provided in the upper mechanism. This allows for high functionality of the upper mechanism, which is the object driven by the rotary drive unit. On the other hand, by providing the lifting force output unit of the lifting action unit in the lower mechanism, the upper mechanism can be made lighter. As a result, high functionality of the object driven by the rotary drive unit can be achieved, and concerns about increased load on the rotary drive unit due to weight increases are easily reduced. Moreover, the lifting action unit can be driven by contacting its front end with a transmission member while the lifting force output unit is aligned with the lifting action unit. Therefore, the upper mechanism equipped with the lifting action unit can be easily rotated with light force, and the orientation of the inspection object placed on the mounting surface can be easily changed.

[0110] Ideally, the front end of the thrust output section can face the lower surface of the upper mechanism, and the transmission member is formed of a raw material that is harder than the lower surface of the upper mechanism. The thrust output section drives the lifting action section to move up and down by contacting the transmission member with its front end.

[0111] According to the structure, since the transmission member is formed of a raw material that is harder than the lower surface of the upper mechanism, it has the advantage of being less prone to deformation compared to the case where the front end of the thrust output part abuts against the lower surface of the upper mechanism.

[0112] Alternatively, the transmission member may ideally include a roller member that is supported in a manner that allows it to rotate freely about an axis orthogonal to the lifting direction of the lifting mechanism, and the front end of the thrust output part is formed on a plane extending in a direction orthogonal to the lifting direction of the lifting mechanism.

[0113] According to the structure, by rotating the upper mechanism while the front end of the thrust output section is in contact with the transmission member including the roller member, it is easy to perform operations such as fine-tuning the mounting angle of the inspection object placed on the mounting surface.

[0114] Furthermore, ideally, the lifting mechanism includes: a pressing member that is pushed up by the lifting force output unit to a rising position above the mounting surface when the front end of the lifting force output unit contacts the lifting mechanism; and a force-applying member that presses the pressing member down to a pressing position below the rising position when the front end of the lifting force output unit separates from the lifting mechanism.

[0115] According to the structure described, by pressing the pressing member toward the pressing position according to the applied force of the force-applying member while the object to be inspected is placed on the mounting surface, the end of the object to be inspected is pressed toward the mounting surface. As a result, the object to be inspected can be inspected while it is stably placed on the mounting surface.

[0116] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism may also include: a protruding rod that, when the front end of the lifting force output part contacts the lifting mechanism, pushes the upper end to a lifting position higher than the mounting surface; and a force-applying member that, when the front end of the lifting force output part separates from the lifting mechanism, presses the upper end of the protruding rod down to a retraction position lower than the mounting surface.

[0117] According to the structure described above, when the object to be inspected is placed on the mounting surface, the object can be easily transferred onto the upper end of the protruding rod by protruding the upper end of the protruding rod further upward than the mounting surface. Furthermore, the object can be placed on the mounting surface by retracting the upper end of the protruding rod further downward than the mounting surface.

[0118] Furthermore, it further includes: a conveying mechanism for conveying the object to be inspected; a control unit for controlling the lifting force output unit and the conveying mechanism; and an inspection unit for inspecting the object to be inspected placed on the mounting surface; and the conveying mechanism includes an object holding unit for holding the object to be inspected. The control unit is configured to perform the following controls: control to operate the lifting force output unit to cause the upper end of the protruding rod to protrude towards the lifting position; control to operate the conveying mechanism to cause the object to be held by the object holding unit, control to convey it above the mounting surface and place it on the upper end of the protruding rod, and control to cause the object holding unit to retract from below the object to be inspected; and control to stop the operation of the lifting force output unit, causing the multiple protruding rods to descend to the retracted position, thereby placing the object to be inspected on the mounting surface.

[0119] According to the structure, the following operations can be easily performed: by operating the thrust output unit and the conveying mechanism according to the control signal output by the self-control unit, when inspecting the object, the operation of conveying the object to be inspected from the object holding unit to the protruding rod is performed; the operation of placing the object to be inspected on the mounting surface is performed; and the operation of retracting the object holding unit from below the object to be inspected is performed.

Claims

1. An inspection device, characterized in that, include: The upper structure includes a platform on which the object to be inspected is placed; The lower mechanism supports the upper mechanism in a rotatable manner; and The lifting mechanism is supported by the upper structure in a way that allows it to be lifted and lowered. The lower mechanism includes: The rotation drive unit causes the upper mechanism to rotate; and The thrust output unit is positioned so as to face the lifting action unit and drives the lifting action unit to lift. The lifting mechanism is positioned opposite the thrust output unit when the rotation angle of the upper mechanism relative to the lower mechanism is a preset angle. A conductive member is provided at the lower end of the lifting action part, which can contact or separate from the front end of the thrust output part.

2. The inspection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front end of the thrust output section can face the lower surface of the upper mechanism. The conductive member is formed of a raw material that is harder than the lower surface of the upper mechanism. The lifting force output unit drives the lifting action unit to move up and down by contacting the transmission member at its front end.

3. The inspection device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The transmission member includes a roller member, which is supported in a manner that allows it to rotate freely about an axis orthogonal to the lifting direction of the lifting mechanism. The front end of the thrust output section is formed on a plane extending in a direction orthogonal to the lifting direction of the lifting action section.

4. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism includes: When the pressing member contacts the lifting action part at the front end of the lifting force output part, it is pushed up by the lifting force output part to a higher position above the mounting surface; and When the front end of the thrust output part separates from the lifting action part, the force-applying member presses the pressing member down to a pressing position that is lower than the rising position.

5. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism includes: When the protruding rod contacts the lifting action part at the front end of the lifting force output part, it pushes the upper end up to a position higher than the mounting surface; and When the front end of the thrust output part separates from the lifting action part, the force-applying member presses the upper end of the protruding rod down to a retraction position that is lower than the mounting surface.

6. The inspection device according to claim 5, characterized in that, Also includes: The transport mechanism transports the object to be inspected. The control unit controls the thrust output unit and the conveying mechanism; and The inspection department inspects the object to be inspected, which is placed on the mounting surface. The conveying mechanism includes an inspection object holding section for holding the inspection object. The control unit performs the following control: The upper end of the protruding rod protrudes toward the pushing position by operating the lifting force output section; The conveying mechanism is operated to hold the object to be inspected by the object holding part, to convey it above the mounting surface and place it on the upper end of the protruding rod, and to retract the object holding part from below the object to be inspected; as well as Stop the operation of the thrust output section, and lower the multiple protruding rods to the retracted position, thereby placing the object to be inspected on the mounting surface.

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