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US 2003/0169524 A1Published application
System and methods for imaging employing a levitating conveyor
AssigneeOrbotech Ltd.
InventorsRaanan Adin, Yuval Yassour
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and methodology for conveying generally planar substrates such as printed circuit board, flat panel display and interconnect device substrates, in a levitated state, to and from a scanning or imaging location, including an air flow conveyor having a substrate flattening functionality, and a scanning or imaging device, and scanning and imaging systems and methodologies employing such article conveying systems and methodologies.
Claims201
An imaging system for use with generally planar substrates comprising:
- an air flow conveyor operative to convey a planar substrate, said substrate selected from the group substrates consisting of printed circuit board, flat panel display and interconnect device substrates, at least to an imaging location, said air flow conveyor having an air flow substrate flattening functionality at least at said imaging location;
- and
- an imager acquirer located at said imaging location for imaging said planar substrate when flattened by said air flow substrate flattening functionality.
A two-sided imaging system for use with generally planar substrates comprising:
- an air flow conveyor operative to convey a generally planar substrate, said planar substrate selected from the group of substrates consisting of printed circuit board, flat panel display and interconnect device substrates, in a levitated state at least to an imaging location;
- and
- an imager acquirer located at said imaging location for imaging two opposite sides of said planar substrates when levitated by said air flow conveyor.
A method for imaging generally planar substrates comprising:
- conveying a planar substrate with an air flow conveyor to at least an imaging location, said planar substrate being selected from the group of substrates consisting of printed circuit board, flat panel display and interconnect device substrates;
- flattening said planar substrate with an a air flow substrate flattener at least at said image acquiring location;
- and
- acquiring an image of said planar substrate with an imager located at said image acquiring location, when flattened by said air flow substrate flattener.
1 more element
A method for two-sided imaging of generally planar substrates, comprising:
- conveying a planar substrate in a levitated state to at least an image acquiring location, said planar substrate selected from the group consisting of printed circuit board, flat panel display and interconnect device substrates;
- and
- acquiring an image of two opposite sides of said planar substrates when in said levitated state.
A method for scanning generally planar substrates, comprising:
- conveying a generally planar substrate to be scanned with an air flow conveyor, to at least a scanning location, said planar substrate being selected from the group consisting of printed circuit board, flat panel display and interconnect device substrates;
- flattening said planar substrate with an air flow substrate flattener at least at said scanning location;
- and
- scanning said planar substrate with a scanner located at said scanning location, when flattened by said air flow substrate flattener, to acquire an image.
1 more element
A levitating methodology suitable for conveying printed circuit board, flat panel display and interconnect device substrates comprising:
- levitating planar substrates with respect to a surface, employing a levitator, said planar substrate selected from the group consisting of printed circuit board, flat panel display and interconnect device substrates;
- displacing said planar substrates generally parallel to said surface employing a displacer;
- and
- flattening said planar substrates when in a levitated state, employing a substrate flattener.
1 more element
A method for manufacturing a printed circuit board comprising:
- conveying a photosensitized printed circuit board substrate with an air flow conveyor to at least an imaging location;
- flattening said photosensitized printed circuit board substrate with an air flow substrate flattener at least at said imaging location;
- and
- forming an image of a portion of an electrical circuit on said printed circuit board substrate with an imager located at said imaging location, when flattened by said air flow substrate flattener.
1 more element
A method for manufacturing an electrical circuit comprising:
- forming a portion of an electrical circuit pattern on a substrate, said substrate selected from the group consisting of printed circuit board, flat panel display and interconnect device substrates;
- conveying said substrate with an air flow conveyor to at least an imaging location;
- acquiring an image of said pattern while said substrate is flattened with an air flow substrate flattener;
- and
- analyzing said image to detect defects in said portion of an electrical circuit pattern.
2 more elements
An imaging system for use with generally planar substrates comprising:
- an air flow conveyor operative to convey a printed circuit board substrates, at least to an imaging location, said air flow conveyor having an air flow substrate flattening functionality at least at said imaging location;
- and
- an imager creator located at said imaging location for imaging said planar substrate when flattened by said air flow substrate flattening functionality.
A two-sided imaging system for use with generally planar substrates comprising:
- an air flow conveyor operative to convey printed circuit board substrate, in a levitated state at least to an imaging location;
- and
- an imager creator located at said imaging location for imaging two opposite sides of said planar substrates when levitated by said air flow conveyor.
A flat bed scanner system comprising:
- an air flow conveyor operative to convey printed circuit board substrate to be scanned at least to a scanning location, said air flow conveyor having an air flow substrate flattening functionality at least at said scanning location;
- and
- a scanner located at said scanning location for scanning said printed circuit board substrate when flattened by said air flow substrate flattening functionality.
A method for imaging generally planar substrates comprising:
- conveying a printed circuit board substrate with an air flow conveyor to at least an image creating location;
- flattening said printed circuit board substrate with an a air flow substrate flattener at least at said image creating location;
- and
- creating an image of a portion of an electrical circuit on said printed circuit board substrate with an imager located at said image acquiring location, when flattened by said air flow substrate flattener.
1 more element
A method for two-sided imaging of generally planar substrates, comprising:
- conveying a printed circuit board substrate in a levitated state to at least an image creating location;
- and
- creating an image on two opposite sides of said printed circuit board substrate when in said levitated state.
A method for scanning printed circuit board substrates, comprising:
- conveying a printed circuit board substrate to be scanned with an air flow conveyor, to at least a scanning location;
- flattening said printed circuit board substrate with an air flow substrate flattener at least at said scanning location;
- and
- scanning said planar substrate with a scanner located at said scanning location, when flattened by said air flow substrate flattener, to create an image of a portion of an electrical circuit.
1 more element
An imaging system for use with generally planar substrates comprising:
- an air flow conveyor operative to convey planar substrates at least to an imaging location, said air flow conveyor having an air flow substrate flattening functionality at least at said imaging location;
- and
- an imager located at said imaging location for imaging said planar substrate when flattened by said air flow substrate flattening functionality.
A two-sided imaging system for use with generally planar substrates comprising:
- an air flow conveyor operative to convey planar substrates in a levitated state at least to an imaging location;
- and
- an imager located at said imaging location for imaging two opposite sides of said planar substrates when levitated by said air flow conveyor.
A flat bed scanner system comprising:
- an air flow conveyor operative to convey planar substrates to be scanned at least to a scanning location, said air flow conveyor having an air flow substrate flattening functionality at least at said scanning location;
- and
- a scanner located at said scanning location for scanning said planar substrates when flattened by said air flow substrate flattening functionality.
A method for imaging generally planar substrates comprising:
- conveying said planar substrates with an air flow conveyor to at least an imaging location;
- flattening said planar substrates with an a air flow substrate flattener at least at said imaging location;
- and
- imaging said planar substrates with an imager located at said imaging location, when flattened by said air flow substrate flattener.
1 more element
A method for two-sided imaging of generally planar substrates, comprising:
- conveying said planar substrates in a levitated state to at least an imaging location;
- and
- imaging two opposite sides of said planar substrates when in said levitated state.
A method for scanning generally planar substrates, comprising:
- conveying planar substrates to be scanned with an air flow conveyor, to at least a scanning location;
- flattening said planar substrates with an air flow substrate flattener at least at said scanning location;
- and
- scanning said planar substrates with a scanner located at said scanning location, when flattened by said air flow substrate flattener.
1 more element
A levitating methodology suitable for conveying generally planar substrates comprising:
- levitating planar substrates with respect to a surface, employing a levitator;
- displacing said planar substrates generally parallel to said surface employing a displacer;
- and
- flattening said planar substrates when in a levitated state, employing a substrate flattener.
1 more element
An air flow conveyor system comprising:
- an air flow generator;
- and
- an air flow levitating conveyor operative to convey planar substrates in a levitated state, said air flow conveyor comprising:
- an air flow table employing an air cushion functionality to levitate said planar substrates
- a displacer for displacing said planar substrates;
- and
- an air flow substrate flattener operative at at least one region of said levitating conveyor to flatten said planar substrate when in a levitated state.
4 more elements
A levitated conveyor system comprising:
- a levitator operative to levitate planar substrates with respect to a surface;
- a displacer for displacing said planar substrates generally parallel to said surface when in a levitated state;
- and
- a substrate flattener operative to flatten said planar substrate when in a levitated state.
1 more element
An air flow conveying method comprising:
- generating an air flow with an air flow generator;
- and
- conveying planar substrates with an air flow levitating conveyor, said conveying comprising:
- levitating said planar substrates with an air flow table employing an air float functionality;
- displacing said planar substrates with a displacer;
- and
- flattening said planar substrates when in a levitated state with an air flow substrate flattener at least at one region of said levitating conveyor.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.