Method and apparatus for flattening and imaging a printed thin film product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11867639-B2
Application number	US-202117475870-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2021
Priority date	Sep 15, 2021
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

A film inspection system includes a film positioner having a film holder configured to hold a printed film having a printed layer on a substrate of the printed film. The film holder is configured to fix a perimeter of the printed film. The film positioner includes a film stretcher positioned relative to the film holder to interface with the printed film. The film stretcher is movable relative to the film holder to stretch the printed film at a stretch area while the perimeter of the printed film is fixed by the film holder. The film inspection system includes a vision system having an imaging device configured to image the printed film at a scan area within the stretch area. The film holder and the imaging device are movable relative to each other to move the scan area along the printed layer to image the printed layer of the printed film.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A film inspection system comprising:
a film positioner having a film holder configured to hold a printed film having a printed layer on a substrate of the printed film, the film holder configured to fix ends of the printed film along a perimeter of the printed film such that the ends of the printed film do not move relative to the film holder when fixed, the film positioner including a film stretcher positioned relative to the film holder to interface with the printed film, the film stretcher movable relative to the film holder to stretch the printed film at a stretch area while the ends of the printed film is remain fixed by the film holder; and
a vision system having an imaging device configured to image the printed film at a scan area within the stretch area, wherein the film holder and the imaging device are movable relative to each other to move the scan area along the printed layer to image the printed layer of the printed film;
wherein the film holder and the film stretcher are movable relative to each other to move the stretch area along the printed film during imaging of the printed film and wherein the ends of the printed film do not move relative to the film holder during imaging of the printed film.

2. The film inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the film stretcher reduces wrinkles in the stretch area to improve defect detection on the printed film by the vision system.

3. The film inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the film stretcher includes an idler roller configured to roll along the substrate as the printed film moves relative to the film stretcher.

4. The film inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the film stretcher is fixed relative to the imaging device during imaging of the printed film.

5. The film inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the film stretcher is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the film stretcher disengaged from the printed film in the retracted position, the film stretcher engaging and stretching the printed film in the extended position.

6. The film inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the film stretcher includes a film interface extending along an axis, the imaging device including a line scan camera imaging the printed film along the axis.

7. The film inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the film holder is movable between a first position and a second position, the film holder configured to move the printed film relative to the film stretcher and the imaging device as the film holder moves between the first position in the second position.

8. The film inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the film holder includes a carriage coupled to a rail, the carriage movable along the rail between a first position and a second position, the film holder including a clamp clamping the printed film to the carriage to fix the printed film in the film holder, the carriage configured to move the printed film relative to the film stretcher and the imaging device as the carriage moves between the first position and the second position.

9. The film inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the film positioner includes a support plate having a support surface configured to support the printed film, the support plate and the film holder being movable relative to each other to release the printed film from the support surface after the printed film is fixed to the film holder.

10. The film inspection system of claim 9 , wherein the support plate is movable between a supporting position and a released position, the support plate being disengaged from the printed film in the released position.

11. A film inspection system comprising:
a film positioner having a support plate having a support surface configured to support a printed film having a printed layer on a substrate of the printed film, the film positioner having a film holder configured to hold the printed film and fix the printed film relative to the film holder such that ends of the printed film do not move relative to the film holder when fixed, the support plate is movable relative to the film holder to a released position to release the printed film from the support surface after the printed film is fixed to the film holder, the film positioner including a film stretcher positioned relative to the support plate and the film holder to interface with the printed film, the film stretcher movable relative to the film holder to an extended position to stretch the printed film at a stretch area while the ends of the printed film are fixed by the film holder; and
a vision system having an imaging device configured to image the printed film at a scan area within the stretch area, wherein the film holder is movable relative to the imaging device and the film stretcher to move the scan area along the printed layer for line scan imaging the printed layer of the printed film, the vision system including an imaging controller processing the image to identify defects;
wherein the film holder and the film stretcher are movable relative to each other to move the stretch area along the printed film during imaging of the printed film and wherein the ends of the printed film do not move relative to the film holder during imaging of the printed film.

12. The film inspection system of claim 11 , wherein the film stretcher includes an idler roller configured to roll along the substrate as the printed film moves relative to the film stretcher.

13. The film inspection system of claim 11 , wherein the film stretcher is fixed relative to the imaging device during imaging of the printed film.

14. The film inspection system of claim 11 , wherein the film stretcher is movable between a retracted position and the extended position, the film stretcher disengaged from the printed film in the retracted position, the film stretcher engaging and stretching the printed film in the extended position.

15. The film inspection system of claim 11 , wherein the film stretcher includes a film interface extending along an axis, the imaging device including a line scan camera imaging the printed film along the axis.

16. The film inspection system of claim 11 , wherein the film holder is movable between a first position and a second position, the film holder configured to move the printed film relative to the film stretcher and the imaging device as the film holder moves between the first position in the second position.

17. A method of inspecting a printed film for defects, the method comprising:
fixing the printed film in a film holder such that ends of the printed film do not move relative to the film holder when fixed;
stretching the printed film using a film stretcher to remove wrinkles from the printed film at a stretch area while the ends the printed film are fixed by the film holder;
imaging the printed film at a scan area within the stretch area using an imaging device;
moving at least one or the film stretcher or the film holder during imaging to move the stretch area along the printed film during imaging of the printed film;
scanning the printed film by moving the film holder and the printed film relative to the imaging device to image the entire printed film wherein the ends of the printed film do not move relative to the film holder during imaging of the printed film; and
processing the image of the printed film to identify defects.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the film stretcher includes an idler roller, said stretching the printed film comprises extending the idler roller into engagement with the printed film to stretch the printed film, the idle

Assignees

• TE Connectivity Services Gmbh
• Te Connectivity Solutions Gmbh

Inventors

• Wen Du
• Swann Anthony L
• Lu Roberto Francisco-Yi

Classifications

• G01N21/8851 Primary

  Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges (G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002) · CPC title

• G01N21/8914

  characterised by the material examined · CPC title

• G06T7/0004

  Industrial image inspection · CPC title

• G06V10/10

  Image acquisition (document image scanning and transmission H04N1/00; control of digital cameras H04N23/60) · CPC title

• G06V10/12

  Details of acquisition arrangements; Constructional details thereof · CPC title