Thermal Seal Imaging for Package Defect Inspection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional package inspection apparatuses using heat sources for thermal inspection face safety complications and adverse thermal effects on peripheral members.
Innovation Solution
An image acquisition apparatus that utilizes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit to acquire high-quality thermal images of package sealing portions without causing thermal damage, employing light sources that emit wavelengths absorbed by aluminum in the package material, and infrared sensors to detect temperature differences for anomaly detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a camera head is positioned close to the measurement target to capture images of fine patterns, then image quality and measurement precision are improved, but the camera head becomes vulnerable to external impacts and damage
Solution Approach 1:
A protective cover is introduced as an intermediary element between the camera head and the external environment. The cover includes a through-hole that allows the imaging optical system to capture images while protecting the camera head from external impacts and contamination. This mediator enables the system to maintain close proximity to the measurement target for high image quality while shielding the sensitive camera head from harmful factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging optical system is nested within the protective cover structure. The camera head is positioned inside the cover, with the imaging optical system extending through the cover's through-hole. This nesting arrangement allows the camera head to be protected while still enabling image capture functionality, effectively combining protection and measurement in a compact integrated structure.
2Reliability
If a protective cover is added to protect the camera head, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it protects the camera head from external impacts, provides a mounting structure for the imaging optical system, and includes integrated lighting features with light guides and light sources. By combining these functions into a single integrated component, the design improves reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover merges several components into one integrated structure: the protective enclosure, the imaging optical system mounting, and the illumination system with light guides. This consolidation reduces the number of separate parts and assembly steps, thereby improving reliability through fewer interfaces while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
3Measurement precision
If lighting is provided from the back surface of the measurement target, then image acquisition is improved, but the measurement target may be damaged or altered
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system provides illumination from the front surface of the measurement target rather than the back surface. Light guides are positioned to deliver light locally to the measurement area on the front surface, enabling effective image acquisition without requiring access to or applying force on the back surface of the target, thereby avoiding potential damage or alteration.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
Figure 5~7
AI summary
An image acquisition apparatus includes: a light emitting unit to emit light to a sealing portion of a package including a light energy absorbing material, the light having a wavelength absorbed by the light absorbing material; a light receiving unit to receive thermal radiation from the sealing portion as thermal information; and a two-dimensional image acquisition unit to acquire the thermal information on the sealing portion as a two-dimensional image through the light receiving unit. The two-dimensional image acquisition unit acquires at least one two-dimensional image at a time t satisfying a condition of 0 < t < T, where 0 is a time when the light emitting unit emits the light to one side of the sealing portion and T is a time when surface temperature of the other side of sealing portion reaches peak temperature.