Line inspection system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A line defect detection system which comprises:
- means for sensing the presence or absence of a line at a plurality of points in an area to be inspected, said points being in a circular pattern, said plurality of points including;
(i) first and second points spaced apart a distance related to the minimum acceptable line width; and
(ii) a third point between said first and second points;
means responsive to the relative states of said sensing means for recognizing the presence of a line segment having a width less than said acceptable line width; and
means for determining whether the center of said circular pattern is on a line.
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Abstract
A line inspection system suitable for inspecting printed circuit boards for defects. In a first embodiment disclosed, a plurality of sensors which detect the presence or absence of conductor material on the board are grouped in a preestablished pattern. The area of the circuit board to be inspected is scanned by the sensing pattern and logical sequences of sensor condition which indicate defects are searched for. In a second embodiment disclosed, the area to be inspected is scanned serially, and the resultant data stored. Logical analysis is then performed on the stored data to determine whether the pattern of data is or is not consistent with an acceptable part.
25 Citations
70 Claims
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1. A line defect detection system which comprises:
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means for sensing the presence or absence of a line at a plurality of points in an area to be inspected, said points being in a circular pattern, said plurality of points including; (i) first and second points spaced apart a distance related to the minimum acceptable line width; and (ii) a third point between said first and second points; means responsive to the relative states of said sensing means for recognizing the presence of a line segment having a width less than said acceptable line width; and means for determining whether the center of said circular pattern is on a line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A line defect detection system which comprises:
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a plurality of sensors, each for sensing the presence or absence of said line in an area, said sensors sensing areas in a preestablished pattern, said plurality of sensors including; (i) first and second sensors spaced apart a distance related to the minimum acceptable line width; and (ii) a third sensor between said first and second sensors; means responsive to the relative states of said sensors for recognizing the presence of a line segment having a width less than said minimum line width; and scanning means for causing the region containing said line to be traversed by said pattern, said plurality of sensors including a plurality of sensors arranged to sense a pattern of areas comprised of two concentric circles, said first and second sensors sensing areas on the smaller of said two concentric circles and said third sensor sensing an area on the larger of said two concentric circles.
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10. A line defect detection system which comprises:
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a plurality of sensors arranged in a circular pattern, each for sensing the presence or absence of said line in an area, said sensors sensing areas in a preestablished pattern, said plurality of sensors including; (i) first and second sensors spaced apart a distance related to the minimum acceptable line width; and (ii) a third sensor between said first and second sensors; means responsive to the relative states of said sensors for recognizing the presence of a line segment having a width less than said minimum line width; scanning means for causing the region containing said line to be traversed by said pattern; and means for detecting whether said circular pattern is substantially centered on a line.
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11. A line defect detection system which comprises:
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a plurality of sensors, each for sensing the presence or absence of said line in an area, said sensors sensing areas in a preestablished pattern, said plurality of sensors including; (i) first and second sensors spaced apart a distance related to the minimum acceptable line width; and (ii) a third sensor between said first and second sensors; means responsive to the relative states of said sensors for recognizing the presence of a line segment having a width less than said minimum line width, the relative states of said sensors corresponding to a line segment having a width less than said minimum acceptable line width comprising said first and second sensors sensing an absence of said line and said third sensor sensing presence of said line; and scanning means for causing the region containing said line to be traversed by said pattern. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A line defect detection system for detecting breaks in lines which comprises:
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means for sensing the presence or absence of a line at a plurality of points in an area to be inspected, said plurality of points being arranged in a circle; and means responsive to said sensing means for determining whether the number of contiguous points at which an absence of a line is sensed is greater than a predetermined number. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A line defect detection system which comprises:
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means for sensing the presence or absence of a line at a plurality of points in an area to be inspected, said points being in a circular pattern, said plurality of points including; (i) first and second points spaced apart a distance related to the minimum acceptable line width; and (ii) a third point between said first and second points; and means responsive to the relative states of said sensing means for recognizing the presence of a line segment having a width less than said minimum acceptable line width, the relative states of said sensing means corresponding to a line segment having a width less than said minimum acceptable line width comprising sensing an absence of said line at said first and second points and a presence of said line at said third point. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. A printed circuit board trace defect detection system which comprises:
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a first plurality of sensors each for sensing the presence or absence of a trace in an area of a printed circuit board, the sensed areas being symmetrically disposed on a first circle; a second plurality of sensors, each sensing the presence or absence of a trace on an area on a printed circuit board, said second plurality of sensors being equal in number to said first plurality of sensors and each being disposed to sense an area of said circuit board equally distant from two of said first plurality of sensors and being on a second circle concentric with an inside said first circle, the areas sensed by first and second pluralities of sensors comprising a sensing pattern; scanning means for causing said sensing pattern to traverse said printed circuit board; and logic means responsive to the relative states of said sensors to produce a signal whenever said states are inconsistent with at least one preestablished criterion, one of said states inconsistent with a preestablished criterion being the sensing of the presence of a trace by a first sensor disposed on said first circle accompanied by the sensing of absence of a trace by both of two sensors disposed on said second circle, said two sensors and said first sensor being a predetermined group. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A printed circuit board trace defect detection system which comprises:
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sensors 1 through 15 symmetrically disposed to sense a first circular pattern of areas of a printed circuit board; sensors 16 through 30 symmetrically disposed to sense a second circular pattern of areas on said printed circuit board, said second circular pattern being concentric with and smaller than said first circular pattern and angularly displaced therefrom approximately 12 degrees, all of said sensors 1 through 30 forming a sensing pattern; means for causing said sensing pattern to scan the area of said printed circuit board to be inspected; and logic means responsive to the relative states of said sensors for indicating a trace defect, where one of said relative states indicating a trace defect may be stated in boolean notation as follows;
##EQU5## - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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56. A printed circuit board trace defect detection system which comprises:
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sensors 1 through 15 symmetrically disposed to sense a first circular pattern of areas of a printed circuit board; sensors 16 through 30 symmetrically disposed to sense a second circular pattern of areas on said printed circuit board, said second circular pattern being concentric with a smaller than said first circular pattern and angularly displaced therefrom approximately 12 degrees, all of said sensors 1 through 30 forming a sensing pattern; means for causing said sensing pattern to scan the area of said printed circuit board to be inspected; and logic means responsive to the relative states of said sensors for indicating a trace defect, where one of said relative states indicating a trace defect may be stated in boolean notation as follows;
##EQU6##
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62. A line defect detection system which comprises:
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means for sensing the presence or absence of a line at each of a plurality of points in an area to be inspected; and means responsive to the relative presence or absence of said line at one or more groups of said points for recognizing the presence of a line segment having a width less than the minimum acceptable line width, the points comprising said groups having preestablished geometrical relationships with one another, at least one of said geometrical relationships between points comprising first and second points separated by a distance equal to said minimum acceptable line width, and a third point between said first and second points, the criterion for said recognition comprising an absence of a line at said first and second points and a presence of a line at said third point. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65)
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66. A line defect detection system which comprises:
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a plurality of sensors, each for sensing the presence or absence of said line in an area, said sensors sensing areas in a preestablished pattern, said plurality of sensors including; (i) first and second sensors spaced apart a distance related to the minumum acceptable line width; and (ii) a third sensor between said first and second sensors; means responsive to the relative states of said sensors for recognizing the presence of a line segment having a width less than said minimum line width; scanning means for causing the region containing said line to be traversed by said pattern; and means for inhibiting the signalling of a defect smaller than a predetermined size.
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67. Apparatus for inspection of square or circular figures which comprises:
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means for sensing the presence or absence of said figure at a plurality of points in the region of said figure, said plurality of points being arranged in two concentric circles, the inner of said circles having a diameter equal to the minimum acceptable smallest dimension of said figure; and logic means responsive to the relative state of said sensing means for determining if said figure is acceptable, a logic state wherein all of the points on the inner of said concentric circles contain said figure, and no more than a predetermined number of adjacent points on the outer of said circles contain said figure corresponding to an acceptable figure. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69)
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70. A line defect detection system which comprises:
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means for sensing the presence or absence of a line at a plurality of points in an area to be inspected, said points being in a circular pattern, said plurality of points including; (i) first and second points spaced apart a distance related to the minimum acceptable line width; and (ii) a third point between said first and second points; and means responsive to the relative states of said sensing means for recognizing the presence of a line segment having a width less than said acceptable line width, said plurality of points including a plurality of points arranged in two concentric circles, said first and second points being on one of said two concentric circles and said third point being on the other of said two concentric circles.
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Specification