Module appearance inspection apparatus

• US 6,343,503 B1
• Filed: 12/06/1999
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Goh, Seok
• Primary Examiner(s): LARKIN, DANIEL SEAN
• Application Number:
  US09/455,302
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 731/04, 731/05, 738/66, 738/658
• US Class Current: 73/104
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67271 Sorting devices

Abstract

A module appearance inspection apparatus includes a warpage checking unit, a visual checking unit, a first module transfer unit for unloading the module from a module tray, a second module transfer unit for transferring the module within the apparatus, and a third module transfer unit for loading the module to a module tray. The apparatus can replace the first and third module transfer units with a single module transfer unit. In this case, the apparatus includes: a warpage checking unit; a visual checking unit; a supply unit in which module trays are stacked; a storage unit in which module trays also can be stacked; a tray transfer unit which moves a module tray from the supply unit to the storage unit; a first module transfer unit which unloads and loads the module from and to the module tray on the tray transfer unit; and a second module transfer unit which transfers the module from the warpage checking unit or the visual checking unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus for inspecting a module, comprising:

a warpage checking unit which checks whether the module is warped or not by contacting a plurality of points on the module; and

a visual checking unit which performs visual checking of both surfaces of the module.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first module transfer unit which unloads the module from a first module tray;

a second module transfer unit which transfers the module from the warpage checking unit or the visual checking unit; and

a third module transfer unit which loads the module to a second module tray.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of the first module transfer unit and the third module transfer unit comprises:

a module pickup unit for gripping the module; and

a moving unit for moving the module pickup unit in an X-Y direction.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the module pickup unit comprises:

a vertical cylinder connecting to the module pickup moving unit, the vertical cylinder moving the module pickup unit up and down;

a fixed frame;

a fixed block connecting the fixed frame to the vertical cylinder;

a rotating frame coupled to the fixed frame and driven by a motor such that the rotating frame can rotate relative to the fixed frame; and

a module gripper connecting to the rotating frame, the module gripper for gripping the module.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the module gripper comprises:

a guide rail;

a control motor fixed to the rotating frame;

a driving pulley installed close to an end of the guide rail, the driving pulley rotated by the control motor;

a passive pulley installed close to another end of the guide rail and driven by the driving pulley through a belt which is wound around the driving pulley and the passive pulley;

a pair of guide blocks moving along the guide rail and coupled to the belt; and

a pair of gripping parts respectively coupled to the guide blocks,

wherein the gripping parts move close to each other or away from each other depending on a direction of rotation of the driving pulley, so that the gripping parts grip or release the module.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second module transfer unit comprises:

a module inverting unit for inverting the module; and

a moving unit for moving the module inverting unit in an X-Y direction.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the module inverting unit comprises:

a first motor driving a vertical shaft of the module inverting unit, such that the module inverting unit moves up and down;

a bracket connecting to the vertical shaft;

a second motor connecting to the bracket, the second motor rotating a horizontal shaft of the module inverting unit; and

a module gripping member coupled to the horizontal shaft, such that the module gripping member rotates in accordance with the horizontal shaft.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the module gripping member holds the module by vacuum suction force.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the warpage checking unit comprises a plurality of sensors spaced apart from each other, wherein the module is placed on the sensors for the warpage checking.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the warpage checking unit further comprises a sensor moving unit for adjusting distances between the sensors, the sensor moving unit comprising:

a body having a slot along which the sensors move;

a guide rail;

a driving pulley installed close to an end of the guide rail, the driving pulley rotated by a control motor;

a passive pulley installed close to another end of the guide rail and driven by the driving pulley through a belt which is wound to the driving pulley and the passive pulley; and

a plurality of guide blocks moving along the slot and coupled to the belt, wherein the sensors are respectively coupled to the guide blocks,

wherein the sensors move close to each other or away from each other depending on a direction of rotation of the driving pulley, so that locations of the sensors can adjust to various sizes of the module.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the visual checking unit comprises:

a charge coupled device (CCD) camera for performing a visual check; and

a camera frame for supporting said CCD camera.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first outlet unit for discharging the module when the module is determined as warped.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second outlet unit for discharging the module when the module fails at the visual checking unit.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a supply unit in which a plurality of module trays containing a plurality of modules to be inspected can be stacked;

a storage unit in which a plurality of module trays containing a plurality of modules that passed the inspection can be stacked;

a tray transfer unit on which a module tray is released from the supply unit and moves to the storage unit;

a first module transfer unit which unloads and loads the module from and to the module tray on the tray transfer unit; and

a second module transfer unit which transfers the module from the warpage checking unit or the visual checking unit.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of the supply unit and the storage unit includes a module tray releasing/receiving unit having a module tray supporting device, wherein the module tray supporting device lifts module trays such that a bottom module tray is isolated from an overlying module tray of the supply unit, or a space is provided for a module tray to be inserted below the stacked module trays of the storage unit.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the module tray supporting device comprises:

a vertical shaft moving up and down driven by a first cylinder;

a module tray supporting rod coupled to the vertical shaft; and

a second cylinder driving the module tray supporting rod back and forth, so that the module tray supporting rod moves under or retracts from the stacked module trays.