JP3576705B2 - Substrate transport mechanism for substrate inspection equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a substrate transport mechanism for a substrate inspection device, and more specifically, can control a lateral movement of a movable rail according to a standard size of a substrate to be inspected by using a movement of a probe unit provided in the substrate inspection device. The present invention relates to a substrate transport mechanism for a substrate inspection apparatus as described above.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Usually, in a board inspection apparatus such as an XY in-circuit tester, an example in which a board transport mechanism capable of automatically transporting a board to be inspected before or after inspection is also installed as an aid in automating the inspection process. Many.
[0003]
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a main part of the conventional substrate transfer mechanism. A reference shaft supported by a driving side rotating shaft 1 composed of a ball screw, a trapezoidal screw, and the like, and a driven side rotating shaft 2 is shown in FIG. It is formed with a side rail 3 and a movable side rail 4.
[0004]
In this case, the pair of rotating shafts 1 and 2 are driven by rotating the driving side rotating shaft 1 by the stepping motor 5, and transmitting this rotating driving force to the driven side rotating shaft 2 via the timing belt 6, By rotating the movable side rail 4 laterally with respect to the reference side rail 3, it is possible to cope with the width of the substrate to be inspected having a different standard size at each time.
[0005]
The reference side rail 3 and the movable side rail 4 that are supported by the rotary shafts 1 and 2 each have an endless transport chain (not shown), and the substrate to be inspected is mounted on the endless transport chain. Can be placed and automatically transported.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, even with the above-mentioned conventional substrate transport mechanism, it is possible to automatically transport the substrate to be inspected having different standard sizes.
[0007]
However, the substrate transfer mechanism uses ball screws or trapezoidal screws, which are expensive in terms of material, and is movable via rotary shafts 1 and 2 which are driven and controlled by a dedicated driving means such as a stepping motor 5 and a timing belt 6. Since the side rails 4 are moved, there is a disadvantage that the cost of the entire mechanism is increased.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and a board that can contribute to a reduction in overall cost by performing movement control of a movable-side rail without using a rotating shaft composed of an expensive ball screw or the like. The purpose is to provide a transport mechanism.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has been made to achieve the above-mentioned object, and its structural features are that it can freely move in the X-Y direction and move the probe into and out of the position to be measured on the fixed substrate to be measured. A substrate transport mechanism for a substrate inspection apparatus comprising a probe unit disposed on the base side, wherein the substrate transport mechanism is immovably supported by a pair of horizontal supports installed on a base. A rail, and a movable rail supported in a movable state with respect to the horizontal support rod. The movable rail engages with a locking rod that is freely movable up and down on the probe unit. The passive portion having the concave portion described above is provided at a portion not facing the reference side rail, and the parallel movement following the movement of the probe unit is freely arranged with respect to the reference side rail.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view embodying and exemplifying an embodiment of the present invention. A board inspection apparatus 51 in which a board transfer mechanism 11 according to the present invention is incorporated includes a pair of guides erected on a base B. A movable arm portion 53 which is disposed so as to freely move in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction) with respect to the members 52, 52, and moves in the length direction attached to the movable arm portion 53 (X-axis direction) And at least a probe unit 54 that can be freely moved up and down (in the Z-axis direction) for bringing a probe (not shown) into and out of contact with a portion to be measured on the substrate P to be measured. .
[0011]
Further, the probe unit 54 is provided with a locking rod 56 for controlling the elevation of the probe unit via a fluid control means 55 such as an air cylinder at an appropriate position which does not hinder the elevation of the probe (not shown). . Preferably, the locking rod 56 is provided with a tapered locking portion 57 at its tip.
[0012]
On the other hand, the substrate transport mechanism 11 includes a pair of columns 12 and 12 on one side and a pair of columns 13 and 12 on the other side, which are located below the substrate inspection apparatus 51 and erected on the base B. 13, two horizontal rods 14, 14 respectively installed on one of the columns 12 and the other column 13, and one side of the horizontal columns 14, 14 as shown in FIG. 2. The whole is configured to include at least a reference-side rail 15 that is supported in an immovable state at an appropriate part closer to the side and a movable-side rail 21 that is supported in a movable state at an appropriate part closer to the other side.
[0013]
In this case, the side of the reference side rail 15 is a pair of upright support portions 16, 16 each having a lower end supported by the horizontal support rods 14, and extends between the upright support portions 16, 16. The horizontal support portion 17 is disposed, and one transport portion 18 including an endless transport chain that is supported by the horizontal support portion 17 and moves, and the vertical support portions 16, 16 are disposed via top surfaces of the mutual support portions. At least one guide portion 19 for regulating the position of the inspection board P from one side in the transport direction is provided.
[0014]
Similarly to the reference side rail 15, the movable side rail 21 has a pair of upright support portions 22, 22 each having a lower end supported by the horizontal support rods 14, and a pair of upright support portions 22. , 22 and the other transport unit 24, such as an endless transport chain that is supported and moved by the horizontal support unit 23, and the top of the upright support units 22, 22. And at least another guide portion 25 that is arranged via the surface and regulates the position of the substrate to be inspected P from the other side in the transport direction.
[0015]
Moreover, the passive part 26 having the concave portion 26a for engaging with the locking rod 56 provided on the probe unit 54 is provided on the movable side rail 21 having the above-described structure, for example, the upright support part 22 or the horizontal part. The support portion 24 and the like are disposed at appropriate non-facing portions that do not face the reference side rail 15.
[0016]
Since the present invention is configured as described above, when the substrate to be inspected P is to be inspected using the substrate inspection device 51, the movable rail 21 constituting the substrate transport mechanism 11 is connected to the reference side rail. 15 can be moved to a predetermined position determined by a relationship with the width of the substrate P to be inspected in the transport direction using the probe unit 54 of the substrate inspection apparatus 51.
[0017]
That is, first, the movable arm 53 provided in the board inspection apparatus 51 is moved, for example, in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction) along the pair of guide members 52, 52, and is determined by the relationship with the stop position of the movable rail 21. Place in place.
[0018]
After the movable arm 53 is controlled to move to a predetermined position, the probe unit 54 is controlled to move along the movable arm 53, for example, in the left-right direction (X-axis direction). It is fixed at a predetermined position determined by the relationship with the position.
[0019]
Next, the locking rod 56 attached to the probe unit 54 is controlled to descend to a predetermined position via fluid control means 55 such as an air cylinder, and is engaged with the concave portion 26a of the passive portion 26 provided in the movable rail 21. Combine. In this case, when the locking rod 56 has the locking portion 57 at the distal end, the engagement with the concave portion 26a can be performed more smoothly.
[0020]
After the engaging rod 56 is engaged with the concave portion 26a of the passive portion 26, the probe unit 54 is moved to a predetermined position determined by a relationship with the lateral width of the loaded substrate P in the transport direction. As a result, the movable rail 21 is also moved by following the movable rail 21. As a result, a predetermined distance is secured between the movable rail 21 and the reference rail 15, and the movable rail 21 is required. Can be set in place. In this case, it is desirable that the position of the movable rail 21 be fixed by means of an appropriate locking means at the time when the movement is completed.
[0021]
After the movable rail 21 is moved to the predetermined position in this manner, the movable rod 21 is moved upward by controlling the locking rod 56 attached to the probe unit 54 to the predetermined position via the fluid control means 55. The engagement between the passive portion 26 of the side rail 21 and the concave portion 26a is released.
[0022]
Thus, after the movable rail 21 is fixed, the one transport unit 18 provided on the reference rail 15 and the other transport unit 24 provided on the movable rail 21 are simultaneously driven in synchronization with each other. The substrate P to be inspected placed on the transport units 18 and 24 is transported to a predetermined position under the arrangement relationship located below the probe unit 54 provided in the substrate inspection device 51, and is fixed at the predetermined position. A predetermined inspection will be performed above.
[0023]
For this reason, the movement of the movable rail 21 included in the substrate transfer mechanism 11 can be controlled simply by using the movement of the probe unit 54 without providing a dedicated driving unit.
[0024]
Therefore, according to the present invention, a dedicated driving means for moving the movable side rail 21 is not required, and as a result, the ball screw and the trapezoidal screw are wiped out of the constituent members of the reference side rail 15 and the movable side rail 21 respectively. As a result, the manufacturing cost of the entire mechanism can be greatly reduced, and the simplification of the overall structure can be realized at the same time, which can contribute to the simplification of maintenance work.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to control the movement of the movable rail constituting the substrate transfer mechanism by following the movement of the probe unit without installing a special driving means. Therefore, the mechanism itself can be simplified.
[0026]
In addition, since a dedicated driving means for moving the movable rail is not required, the ball screw and the trapezoidal screw, each of which has a high material cost, are wiped out of the components of the reference rail and the movable rail, and the entire mechanism is eliminated. The manufacturing cost can be greatly reduced, and maintenance work can be simplified.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a main part showing an example of the present invention as viewed from the front side.
FIG. 2 is an essential part explanatory view showing the substrate transport mechanism in FIG. 1 as viewed from a plane side.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a main part showing a conventional substrate transport mechanism as an example as viewed from a plane side.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 11 board transfer mechanism 12, 13 support 14 horizontal support 15 reference side rail 16, 22 upright support 17, 23 horizontal support 18, transport section 19, 25 guide 21 movable side rail 26 passive section 26a recess 51 board inspection Device 52 Guide member 53 Movable arm 54 Probe unit 55 Fluid control means 56 Locking rod 57 Locking part B Base P Inspection board

Claims (1)

In a substrate transport mechanism for a substrate inspection apparatus including a probe unit disposed so as to freely move in an X-Y direction and move a probe to and from a portion to be measured of a fixed substrate to be inspected. ,
The substrate transfer mechanism includes at least a reference side rail that is immovably supported by a pair of horizontal supports installed on a base, and a movable side rail that is supported in a movable state with respect to the horizontal supports, The movable side rail is provided with a passive portion having a concave portion for engaging with a locking rod disposed freely on the probe unit at a position not opposed to the reference side rail, A substrate transport mechanism for a substrate inspection apparatus, wherein a parallel movement following a movement of the probe unit is freely arranged with respect to a reference side rail.

Images