Inspection equipment

Abstract

To provide an inspection device capable of inspecting a tape-like flexible substrate having an electronic component mounted on one surface thereof in a flat state.SOLUTION: An inspection device 1 for a tape-like flexible board on one surface of which electronic components are mounted includes a conveyance device 3 that conveys a FPC2 with a mounting surface of the electronic components facing upward, and includes an inspection roller 34 that is located on a lower surface of the FPC2 at an inspection position of the FPC2 and comes into contact with the entire width direction of the lower surface of the FPC2, and inspection rollers 43 and 44 that are respectively disposed at front and rear positions in a conveyance direction of the FPC2 with respect to the inspection roller 34. This device is provided with a carrying device 3 having a plurality of rollers 3 2, 3 3 and 3 5 which are brought into contact with only both end parts in the width direction of an FPC2 to apply tensile force to the FPC2 to press it to a roller 3 4 for inspection.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus for a tape-shaped flexible substrate having electronic components mounted on one surface thereof.

Background Art

[0002] When attempting to perform a visual inspection of a tape-shaped flexible substrate having electronic components mounted on one surface thereof by the light section method, the tape-shaped flexible substrate must be flat in order to measure the height with high accuracy. However, the tape-shaped flexible substrate has a hardness completely different from that of a general film, and further, it is difficult to make it flat because deflection is generated by being heated at the time of mounting the electronic components.

[0003] In that respect, in the case of a film inspection apparatus, the film can be made flat by simply pressing the inspection roller against the back surface of the film. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an antireflection film defect inspection apparatus in which an inspection roller is pressed against an antireflection film conveyed by a pair of rollers, the film illuminated by an illumination light source is imaged by an imaging device, and the captured image is processed by an image processing unit to extract defects.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] As described above, it is difficult to flatten a tape-shaped flexible substrate that is harder than a general film and has deflection, unlike a film.

[0006] Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to provide an inspection device capable of flattening and inspecting a tape-shaped flexible substrate on which electronic components are mounted on one side. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The inspection apparatus of the present invention is an inspection apparatus for a tape-shaped flexible substrate with electronic components mounted on one side, and is a transport apparatus that transports the flexible substrate with the surface on which the electronic components are mounted facing upward, and includes an inspection roller located on the lower surface of the flexible substrate at the inspection position of the flexible substrate, with which the entire widthwise surface of the lower surface of the flexible substrate is in contact, and a plurality of rollers arranged in front of and behind the inspection roller in the transport direction of the flexible substrate, respectively, and which contact only the widthwise ends of the flexible substrate to apply tension to the flexible substrate and press it against the inspection roller.

[0008] According to the inspection apparatus of the present invention, at the inspection position of a tape-shaped flexible substrate with electronic components mounted on one side, a plurality of rollers positioned at front and rear positions in the transport direction of the flexible substrate contact an inspection roller located on the underside of the flexible substrate, with the entire width of the underside of the flexible substrate in contact. These rollers contact only both ends in the width direction of the flexible substrate without contacting the electronic components mounted on one side of the flexible substrate, thereby applying tension to the flexible substrate and pressing it against the inspection roller, making it adhere tightly, and thus the tape-shaped flexible substrate with electronic components mounted on one side can be flattened at the inspection position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to flatten a tape-shaped flexible substrate with electronic components mounted on one side at the inspection location and inspect it. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the main components of the inspection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a plan view of the FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit). [Figure 3] This is a plan view showing the arrangement of the third, fourth, and fifth rollers in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the main components of the inspection device in an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the FPC, and Figure 3 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the third roller, fourth roller, and fifth roller in Figure 1.

[0012] In Figure 1, the inspection device 1 in the embodiment of the present invention is an inspection device for an FPC (flexible printed circuit board) 2 as a flexible substrate. As shown in Figure 2, the FPC 2 is a tape-shaped flexible substrate with width W on which electronic components 20 are mounted on one side. Both ends 2A in the width W direction of the FPC 2 are areas where electronic components 20 are not mounted. Sprocket holes 21 are provided at both ends 2A in the width W direction of the FPC 2, into which the sprocket of the seventh roller 37, which will be described later, engages. The electronic components 20 are provided in the area 2B of the FPC 2 excluding both ends 2A in the width W direction.

[0013] The inspection device 1 includes a transport device 3 for transporting the FPC 2. The transport device 3 transports the FPC 2 with the side where the electronic components are mounted (the side shown in Figure 2) facing upwards (upper side in Figure 1). The FPC 2 is set in the transport device 3 wound on the unwinding reel 4 with the side where the electronic components are mounted facing outwards. The FPC 2 is unwound from the unwinding reel 4 and wound onto the take-up reel 5. The unwinding reel 4 and the take-up reel 5 rotate counterclockwise in Figure 1 around horizontal rotation axes 4A and 5A, respectively.

[0014] Furthermore, the conveying device 3 is equipped with first to ninth rollers 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, and 39 in order in the conveying direction between the unwinding reel 4 and the take-up reel 5. The FPC 2 unwound from the unwinding reel 4 is guided by the first to ninth rollers 31 to 39 and wound onto the take-up reel 5. The first to ninth rollers 31 to 39 rotate around horizontal rotation axes 31A, 32A, 33A, 34A, 35A, 36A, 37A, 38A, and 39A, respectively. Note that rotation axes 4A, 5A, 31A, 33A, 34A, 35A, 36A, 37A, and 38A are fixed. Rotation axes 32A and 39A move vertically to absorb the speed difference between the speed at which the FPC 2 is unwound from the unwinding reel 4 and the speed at which it is wound onto the take-up reel 5. Additionally, the rotating axes 32A and 39A move vertically to remove slack from the FPC2.

[0015] The inspection position is set between the unwinding reel 4 and the winding reel 5. A three-dimensional measuring device 6 is provided above the inspection position. The fourth roller 34, located on the underside of the FPC2 at the inspection position, is a cylindrical inspection roller that contacts the entire width W direction (both ends 2A and area 2B) of the underside of the FPC2, as shown in Figure 3. The outer diameter of the fourth roller 34 is larger than that of the other rollers 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, and 39 because a larger outer diameter reduces the bending of the FPC2 at the inspection position. The outer diameter of the fourth roller 34 is set to, for example, approximately φ60 mm to φ200 mm.

[0016] The three-dimensional measuring device 6 inspects electronic components mounted on the upper surface (mounting surface) of the FPC2 using the light section method. The three-dimensional measuring device 6 irradiates the FPC2 on the fourth inspection roller 34 perpendicularly with slit light 7 extending in the width W direction of the FPC2, and captures the reflected light from diagonally above with the imaging device 8 to obtain an inspection image. This three-dimensional measuring device 6 measures and inspects the three-dimensional dimensions, appearance, and shape of the electronic components 20 mounted on the FPC2.

[0017] The second roller 32, the third roller 33, and the fifth roller 35 are respectively arranged at positions in the front and rear of the fourth inspection roller 34 in the conveyance direction of the FPC 2. The second roller 32, the third roller 33, and the fifth roller 35 are configured to apply tension to the FPC 2 by contacting only both end portions 2A in the width W direction of the FPC 2, thereby pressing the FPC 2 against the fourth inspection roller 34.

[0018] As shown in Figure 3, the third roller 33 has a cylindrical body portion 40, first enlarged diameter portions 41 provided at both ends of the body portion 40, and second enlarged diameter portions 42 provided further on both outer sides of the first enlarged diameter portions 41. The third roller 33 is formed such that the outer diameter of the body portion 40 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first enlarged diameter portions 41, so that the first enlarged diameter portions 41 contact only both end portions 2A in the width W direction of the FPC 2.

[0019] The second enlarged diameter portions 42 are formed to have a larger outer diameter than the first enlarged diameter portions 41. In addition, the width B between the respective inner side surfaces 42A and 42B of the second enlarged diameter portions 42 provided on both outer sides of the first enlarged diameter portions 41 is set to be slightly wider than the width W of the FPC 2. Within the width B between the respective inner side surfaces 42A and 42B of the second enlarged diameter portions 42, only the both end portions 2A of the FPC 2 come into contact with the first enlarged diameter portions 41.

[0020] The second roller 32 and the fifth roller 35 also have the same configuration as the third roller 33. However, for positioning the FPC 2 in the width W direction on the fourth roller 34, the third roller 33 is set such that the rear edge 22A of the FPC 2 abuts against the inner side surface 42A of the rear second enlarged diameter portion 42, as shown in Figure 3. At this time, a gap is formed between the front edge 22B of the FPC 2 and the inner side surface 42B of the front second enlarged diameter portion 42.

[0021] On the fifth roller 35 located downstream in the transport direction across the fourth roller 34, contrary to the third roller 33, the front-side edge 22B of the FPC 2 is set to abut against the inner side surface 42B of the second enlarged-diameter portion 42 on the front side. At this time, a gap is formed between the back-side edge 22A of the FPC 2 and the inner side surface 42A of the second enlarged-diameter portion 42 on the back side. Thereby, the FPC 2 is positioned in the width W direction on the fourth roller 34. Note that the abutting surfaces of the second enlarged-diameter portions 42 against the edges 22A and 22B of the FPC 2 on the third roller 33 and the fourth roller 34 may be reversed.

[0022] The seventh roller 37 is a roller that feeds the FPC 2 from the unwinding reel 4 to the winding reel 5. The seventh roller 37 has sprockets that engage with the sprocket holes 21 at both widthwise W end portions 2A of the FPC 2 to feed the FPC 2. As the sprockets of the seventh roller 37 engage with the sprocket holes 21 of the FPC 2 and rotate at a constant speed, the FPC 2 passes through the inspection position on the fourth roller 34 at a constant speed.

[0023] In the inspection apparatus 1 including the transport apparatus 3 configured as described above, the second roller 32, the third roller 33, and the fifth roller 35 come into contact only with both widthwise W end portions 2A of the FPC 2 unwound from the unwinding reel 4 to apply tension to the FPC 2, thereby pressing the FPC 2 against the fourth roller 34 for inspection to bring them into close contact. As a result, the FPC 2 with the electronic component 20 mounted on one surface (upper surface) becomes flat at its inspection position, and the three-dimensional measuring device 6 can measure and inspect the three-dimensional dimensions, appearance, and shape of the electronic component 20 mounted on the FPC 2.

Industrial Applicability

[0024] The inspection apparatus of the present invention is useful as an apparatus for inspecting a tape-shaped flexible substrate having electronic components mounted on one side.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0025] 1 Inspection apparatus 2 FPC (flexible printed circuit board) 3 Transport apparatus 4 reels 5. Winding reel 6. Three-dimensional measuring device 7 Slit light 8. Imaging device 20 Electronic Components 21 sprocket holes 31-39 Laura 1-9 40 Torso 41 1st enlarged diameter section 42 Second enlarged diameter section

Claims

1. An inspection device for a tape-shaped flexible circuit board with electronic components mounted on one side, A transport device for transporting the flexible substrate with the mounting surface of the electronic components facing upward, the transport device includes an inspection roller located on the lower surface of the flexible substrate at the inspection position of the flexible substrate, with the entire widthwise surface of the lower surface of the flexible substrate in contact with it, and a plurality of rollers positioned in front of and behind the inspection roller in the transport direction of the flexible substrate, respectively, and contacting only the widthwise ends of the flexible substrate to apply tension to the flexible substrate and press it against the inspection roller.

2. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging device for capturing an inspection image of the flexible substrate above the inspection position of the flexible substrate.

3. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transport device has a sprocket that engages with sprocket holes provided at both ends in the width direction of the flexible substrate to transport the flexible substrate.

Images