PARTS MANIPULATION, INSPECTION, AND REPLACEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A machine vision system for inspecting a tray populated with a plurality of devices, the machine vision system comprising:
- an inspection station including an imaged area, wherein the inspection station is configured to perform a machine-vision inspection of a plurality of devices in a tray;
a first output station having a first output elevator configured to hold a plurality of trays each of which has a plurality of devices that have passed the machine-vision inspection; and
a sorting device that operates on devices held in a top first tray held at the first output elevator above a plurality of other trays each of which has a plurality of devices all of which have passed inspection, wherein the sorting device, based on the machine-vision inspection having determined that a first device of the plurality of devices in the first tray has not passed inspection operates to remove the first device that has not passed inspection from the top first tray and to replace the first removed device with a device that has previously passed inspection;
wherein upon completion of a sorting operation by the sorting device the system operates to then lower the first tray and the plurality of other trays such that trays, each having a plurality of devices that have passed inspection are held at the first output elevator of the first output station.
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Abstract
Improved method and apparatus for machine vision. One embodiment provides automated imaging and analysis, optionally including Scheimpflug'"'"'s condition on the pattern projector, telecentric imaging and projecting, an IR filter, a mask to constrain observed illumination, and/or a sine-wave projection pattern for more accurate results. Another embodiment provides circuitry for a machine-vision system. Another embodiment provides a machine-vision system, optionally including accommodation of random orientation of parts in trays, irregular location of features being inspected, crossed pattern projectors and detectors for shadow reduction, detection of substrate warpage as well as ball-top coplanarity, two discrete shutters (or flash brightnesses) interleaved (long shutter for dark features, short shutter for bright features). Another embodiment provides parts inspection, optionally including a tray elevator that lifts trays to an inspection surface, moves trays in short tray dimension, provides first tray inspection at a major surface of the elevator, and/or provides a tray flipper.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A machine vision system for inspecting a tray populated with a plurality of devices, the machine vision system comprising:
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an inspection station including an imaged area, wherein the inspection station is configured to perform a machine-vision inspection of a plurality of devices in a tray; a first output station having a first output elevator configured to hold a plurality of trays each of which has a plurality of devices that have passed the machine-vision inspection; and a sorting device that operates on devices held in a top first tray held at the first output elevator above a plurality of other trays each of which has a plurality of devices all of which have passed inspection, wherein the sorting device, based on the machine-vision inspection having determined that a first device of the plurality of devices in the first tray has not passed inspection operates to remove the first device that has not passed inspection from the top first tray and to replace the first removed device with a device that has previously passed inspection;
wherein upon completion of a sorting operation by the sorting device the system operates to then lower the first tray and the plurality of other trays such that trays, each having a plurality of devices that have passed inspection are held at the first output elevator of the first output station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A machine-vision method for inspecting trays each populated with a plurality of devices, the machine-vision method comprising:
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performing a machine-vision inspection of a plurality of devices in a first tray; providing a first output station having a first output elevator; holding in the first output elevator a plurality of other trays each of which has a plurality of devices that have passed the inspection; holding the first tray at the first output station above the plurality of trays having their respective plurality of devices that have passed the inspection; sorting by removing from the first tray a first device that has not passed the inspection and replacing the first removed device with a device that has passed inspection; and upon completion of the sorting, lowering the first tray and the plurality of other trays in the first output elevator and moving another tray having a plurality of inspected devices to a position above the first tray. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A machine vision system for inspecting a tray populated with a plurality of devices, the machine vision system comprising:
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an inspection station including an imaged area, wherein the inspection station is configured to perform a machine-vision inspection of a plurality of devices in a tray; a first output station; means for holding the first tray at the first output station; means for holding a plurality of other trays each of which has a plurality of devices that have passed the inspection below the first tray; means for sorting by removing from the first tray a first device that has not passed the inspection and replacing the first removed device with a device that has passed inspection; and means for lowering the first tray and the plurality of other trays in the first output elevator and moving another tray having a plurality of inspected devices to a position above the first tray. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification