Flexible Carrier LED Transfer With In-Situ Alignment and Soldering

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Solution Overview

Problem

In the manufacturing process of electronic products, such as LED displays, slight vibrations can cause light-emitting diodes to shift before they are fixed on the TFT array substrate, leading to low throughput and potential misalignment during the transfer process.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method for transferring electronic components using a flexible carrier, which includes a first frame for the carrier, a second frame for the target substrate, an abutting component, an energy generating device, and image capture devices. The abutting component moves to abut the flexible carrier, allowing an energy beam to align and solder the component onto the target substrate, with image capture and data processing to adjust for positional offsets.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If light-emitting diodes are placed on the TFT array substrate using a pick-and-place apparatus, then the electronic components can be transferred to the target substrate, but slight vibrations cause the unfixed light-emitting diodes to shift, reducing manufacturing precision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precision of light-emitting diodesVSAvoidstability of unfixed light-emitting diodes

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-coating the TFT array substrate with solder before placing the light-emitting diodes. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the components are placed, they immediately have a bonding interface ready, reducing the window of vulnerability to vibration-induced misalignment and enabling faster subsequent fixation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical pick-and-place system with a direct bonding approach where light-emitting diodes are directly bonded to the TFT array substrate through soldering. This substitution eliminates the mechanical handling step that is susceptible to vibration, thereby improving alignment precision and reducing the risk of component shift.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If traditional pick-and-place methods are used to transfer light-emitting diodes, then components can be placed on the substrate, but the throughput of the process remains low

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethroughput of component transfer processVSAvoidalignment precision during transfer

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the placement and bonding operations into a single integrated process step. By combining the positioning of light-emitting diodes with immediate soldering fixation, the process eliminates separate handling and fixation steps, thereby increasing throughput while maintaining alignment precision through the unified operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements continuity of useful action by maintaining constant contact between the light-emitting diodes and the substrate throughout the bonding process. The soldering operation begins immediately upon placement, ensuring continuous bonding action without interruption or repositioning, which enhances both throughput and precision.

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 method ensures precise alignment and secure soldering of electronic components onto the target substrate, enhancing the throughput and reliability of the transfer process by correcting for positional shifts and maintaining the flexible carrier's integrity.

Implementation Method 1

An energy beam is provided, and the energy beam is directed to pass through the abutting component to melt the solder between the electronic component and the bonding pad

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser heating: Laser

Implementation Method 2

The abutting component is moved away from the original position and moved towards a surface of the flexible carrier without the electronic component, and the surface is abutted against by the abutting end, so that the flexible carrier is deformed, and the electronic component is moved towards the target substrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS12261071B2Electronic component transfer apparatus, electronic component transfer method, and method of manufacturing a light-emitting diode panel

Publication Date: 2025.03.25 ASTI GLOBAL INC

AI summary

An electronic component transfer apparatus is configured to transfer an electronic component on a flexible carrier to a target substrate. The electronic component transfer apparatus includes a first frame, a second frame, an abutting component, an actuating mechanism, an energy generating device, an image capture device, and a data processing module. The first frame is configured to carry the flexible carrier. The second frame is configured to carry the target substrate. The abutting component is disposed adjacent to the flexible carrier. The actuating mechanism is configured to actuate the abutting component, so that the abutting end of the abutting component abuts against the flexible carrier. The energy generating device generates an energy beam. The image capture device captures an image through the abutting component. The data processing module receives and computes the image to determine whether to adjust the relative position between the abutting end and the flexible carrier.