Inspection apparatus and inspection method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10989738-B2
Application number	US-201916515871-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2019
Priority date	Aug 27, 2018
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

To reduce inspection time by changing an action speed of a movable axis movable part while considering size information of an electrode terminal as a contact destination of a probe. An inspection apparatus of the present disclosure is an inspection apparatus with a plurality of movable probes that brings each of the movable probes into contact with each of a plurality of objects to be inspected on a board to be inspected so as to measure electrical characteristics between the objects to be inspected. The inspection apparatus includes a plurality of movable parts that support the movable probes, move the movable probes in a plurality of axis directions, and position the movable probes at positions of the objects to be inspected so that the movable probes are in contact with the objects to be inspected, a drive unit that drives the movable parts moving the movable probes, and a drive control unit that controls an action speed of the movable parts moving the movable probes in accordance with size information of the objects to be inspected as next contact destinations of the movable probes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An inspection apparatus with a plurality of movable probes that brings each of the movable probes into contact with each of a plurality of objects to be inspected on a board to be inspected so as to measure electrical characteristics between the objects to be inspected, the inspection apparatus comprising:
a plurality of movable parts that support the movable probes, move the movable probes in a plurality of axis directions, and position the movable probes at positions of the objects to be inspected so that the movable probes are in contact with the objects to be inspected;
a drive unit that drives the movable parts moving the movable probes; and
a drive control unit that controls an action speed of the movable parts moving the movable probes in accordance with size information of the objects to be inspected as next contact destinations of the movable probes.

2. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the drive control unit sets an action speed of the movable part of the movable probe to a first speed if the size information of the object to be inspected as the next contact destination of the movable probe is relatively large, and
the drive control unit sets an action speed of the movable part of the movable probe to a second speed lower than the first speed if the size information of the object to be inspected as the next contact destination of the movable probe is relatively small.

3. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the drive control unit changes an action speed of the movable part of the movable probe in accordance with a result of comparison between the size information of the object to be inspected in contact with the movable probe and the size information of the object to be inspected as the next contact destination.

4. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , further including an inspection data generation unit that generates position information of the object to be inspected and the size information of the object to be inspected on the board to be inspected, wherein
the drive control unit controls an action speed of the movable part moving the movable probe on a basis of the position information of the object to be inspected and the size information of the object to be inspected that are obtained from the inspection data generation unit.

5. The inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the drive control unit changes an action speed of the movable part of the movable probe in accordance with a result of comparison between the size information of the object to be inspected in contact with the movable probe and the size information of the object to be inspected as the next contact destination.

6. An inspection method of bringing each of a plurality of movable probes into contact with each of a plurality of objects to be inspected on a board to be inspected so as to measure electrical characteristics between the objects to be inspected, the inspection method comprising:
by each of the movable parts, supporting the movable probes, moving the movable probes in a plurality of axis directions, and positioning the movable probes at positions of the objects to be inspected so that the movable probes are in contact with the objects to be inspected;
by a driving unit, driving the movable parts moving the movable probes; and
by a drive control unit, controlling an action speed of the movable parts moving the movable probes in accordance with size information of the objects to be inspected as next contact destinations of the movable probes.

Assignees

• Nihon Micronics Kk

Inventors

• Fukami Yoshiyuki

Classifications

• G01R31/2813

  Checking the presence, location, orientation or value, e.g. resistance, of components or conductors (orientation of the DUT with respect to the test fixture G01R1/06705) · CPC title

• G01R31/2812

  Checking for open circuits or shorts, e.g. solder bridges; Testing conductivity, resistivity or impedance (of connections G01R31/66) · CPC title

• G01R31/2808 Primary

  Holding, conveying or contacting devices, e.g. test adapters, edge connectors, extender boards (probe, multiprobe, probe manipulator or probe fixture G01R1/067) · CPC title

• G01R31/2806 Primary

  Apparatus therefor, e.g. test stations, drivers, analysers, conveyors (G01R31/2805, G01R31/281, G01R31/2818 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01R31/12

  Testing dielectric strength or breakdown voltage {; Testing or monitoring effectiveness or level of insulation, e.g. of a cable or of an apparatus, for example using partial discharge measurements; Electrostatic testing (G01R31/08, G01R31/327 and G01R31/72 take precedence; measuring in plasmas G01R19/0061; measuring dielectric constants G01R27/2617; ESD, EMC or EMP testing of circuits G01R31/002)} · CPC title