LED Pick-and-Place Patterns for Uniform Display Panel Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pick-and-place apparatuses for light-emitting diodes (LEDs) fail to achieve uniform distribution of component performance on substrates, leading to non-uniform display panels, despite offering high throughput.

Innovation Solution

A pick-and-place apparatus that uses multiple interleaved placement patterns across multiple passes to distribute LEDs uniformly across the substrate, optimizing both throughput and uniformity by controlling the movement of the target supporting unit and utilizing a pattern determination unit to select optimal collect and placement patterns based on a wafer map.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a single serpentine placement pattern is used for high throughput, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision of uniformity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovethroughputVSAvoiduniformity of LED performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The placement process is segmented into multiple passes, each handling a subset of LEDs according to a specific placement pattern. The controller divides the overall placement task into multiple smaller tasks, where each pass places only certain LEDs (e.g., every second, third, or fourth LED) according to its assigned pattern, rather than placing all LEDs in a single serpentine pass.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically assigns different placement patterns to different passes based on real-time requirements. The controller can adaptively select and switch between multiple placement patterns (e.g., serpentine, boustrophedon, meander, zigzag, or custom patterns) to optimize both throughput and uniformity distribution, making the placement process flexible and adaptive rather than static.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple interleaved placement patterns are used to improve uniformity, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuniformity of LED performanceVSAvoidcomplexity of control system
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The controller changes the parameters of the placement process by varying the placement pattern type, the subset of LEDs placed in each pass, and the motion trajectory of the pick-and-place head. By dynamically adjusting these parameters across multiple passes, the system achieves improved uniformity while managing complexity through systematic parameter variation rather than hardware complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If multiple passes with interleaved patterns are implemented, then uniformity of LED distribution is improved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuniformity of LED performanceVSAvoidtotal placement time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The pick-and-place apparatus maintains continuous useful action by ensuring that the pick-and-place head is constantly moving and placing LEDs across multiple passes without idle time. Each pass is carefully coordinated to place a specific subset of LEDs, and the next pass immediately follows to place the remaining LEDs, eliminating downtime and maintaining high productivity throughout the entire placement process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach results in improved uniformity of LED performance on the substrate while maintaining high throughput, as demonstrated by better color uniformity in display panels constructed using the described method compared to traditional serpentine-based methods.

Implementation Method 1

vacuum units 106 are mounted that are each configured for holding a component 107 by means of vacuum

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVacuum: Vacuum

Data Source

PatentEP4310894A1Pick-and-place apparatus and method
Publication Date: 2024.01.24 NEXPERIA BV
  • EP4310894A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4310894A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4310894A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a pick-and-place apparatus that is configured to cause components to be placed on a substrate in a number of passes, wherein during each pass components among a plurality of components are placed on the substrate in a respective placement pattern among a collection of interleaved placement patterns.