Touch panel inspecting apparatus

Abstract

A touch panel inspecting apparatus includes a workpiece holder, a pseudo finger, an X-Y movement mechanism, a memory part, an electric pneumatic regulator, and a panel signal acquiring part. The workpiece holder allows a touch panel, which is an inspection target, to be set thereon. The pseudo finger is contactable with the touch panel set on the workpiece holder. The X-Y movement mechanism moves the pseudo finger relative to the touch panel. The memory part stores therein a set value of pressing force of the pseudo finger, in a changeable manner. The electric pneumatic regulator regulates the pressing force to bring the pseudo finger into contact with the touch panel, based on the set value stored in the memory part. The panel signal acquiring part acquires an electric signal output from the touch panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A touch panel inspecting apparatus comprising:
 a holding part configured to allow a touch panel, which is an inspection target, to be set thereon;   at least one pseudo finger configured to be contactable with the touch panel set on the holding part;   a contact position changing part configured to move the at least one pseudo finger relative to the touch panel and to change a contact position of the touch panel with the at least one pseudo finger;   a set pressing force memory part configured to store a set value of a pressing force of the at least one pseudo finger, in a changeable manner;   a pressing force regulating part configured to regulate the pressing force of the at least one pseudo finger in contact with the touch panel, based on the set value stored in the set pressing force memory part; and   an acquiring part configured to acquire an electric signal output from the touch panel.   
     
     
         2 . The touch panel inspecting apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a weight canceling part configured to apply, to the at least one pseudo finger, a canceling force to bring the at least one pseudo finger apart from the touch panel.   
     
     
         3 . The touch panel inspecting apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the set pressing force memory part is capable of storing a set value corresponding to zero pressing force of the at least one pseudo finger.   
     
     
         4 . The touch panel inspecting apparatus of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the set pressing force memory part is capable of storing a set value corresponding to zero pressing force of the at least one pseudo finger.   
     
     
         5 . The touch panel inspecting apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a housing having an accommodating chamber for accommodating the at least one pseudo finger, the housing configured to support the at least one pseudo finger so as to allow the at least one pseudo finger to move linearly;   a bearing-forming gas passage for a compressed gas to be supplied for forming a hydrostatic gas bearing between the housing and the at least one pseudo finger.   
     
     
         6 . The touch panel inspecting apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a thrust gas passage for a compressed gas to be supplied for acting on the at least one pseudo finger to provide a thrust force to bring the at least one pseudo finger close to the touch panel; and   a canceling gas passage for a compressed gas to be supplied for acting, on the at least one pseudo finger, to provide a canceling force to bring the at least one pseudo finger apart from the touch panel,   wherein the pressing force regulating part controls at least one of a thrust gas pressure and a canceling gas pressure to regulate the pressing force of the at least one pseudo finger in contact with the touch panel.   
     
     
         7 . The touch panel inspecting apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a plurality of pseudo fingers,   wherein the pressing force regulating part is configured to regulate, for each pseudo finger, the pressing force to bring the pseudo finger into contact with the touch panel.   
     
     
         8 . The touch panel inspecting apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a housing having an accommodating chamber for accommodating the at least one pseudo finger, the housing configured to support the at least one pseudo finger so as to allow the at least one pseudo finger to move linearly;   a bearing-forming gas passage for a compressed gas to be supplied for forming a hydrostatic gas bearing between the housing and the at least one pseudo finger.   
     
     
         9 . The touch panel inspecting apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a thrust gas passage for a compressed gas to be supplied for acting on the at least one pseudo finger to provide a thrust force to bring the at least one pseudo finger close to the touch panel; and   a canceling gas passage for a compressed gas to be supplied for acting, on the at least one pseudo finger, to provide a canceling force to bring the at least one pseudo finger apart from the touch panel,   wherein the pressing force regulating part controls at least one of a thrust gas pressure and a canceling gas pressure to regulate the pressing force of the at least one pseudo finger in contact with the touch panel.   
     
     
         10 . The touch panel inspecting apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said weight canceling part comprises the canceling gas passage. 
     
     
         11 . The touch panel inspecting apparatus of  claim 10 , comprising:
 a plurality of pseudo fingers,   wherein the pressing force regulating part is configured to regulate, for each pseudo finger, the pressing force to bring the pseudo finger into contact with the touch panel.   
     
     
         12 . An inspection apparatus comprising:
 a holder configured to set an inspection target thereon;   at least one pseudo finger configured to contact the inspection target;   a positioner configured to move the at least one pseudo finger relative to the inspection target and to change a contact position of the pseudo finger on the inspection target;   a memory configured to changeably store a value of a contact force of the at least one pseudo finger on the inspection target;   a controller configured to regulate the contact force based on the value; and   a sensor configured to acquire an electric signal output from the inspection target.   
     
     
         13 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the inspection target is a touch panel. 
     
     
         14 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising:
 a housing having a chamber for accommodating the at least one pseudo finger for linear movement therein; 
 a bearing-forming gas passage configured to receive a bearing-forming gas pressure for forming a hydrostatic gas bearing between the housing and the at least one pseudo finger. 
 
     
     
         15 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising:
 a thrust gas passage configured to receive a thrust-forming gas pressure to provide a thrust force biasing the at least one pseudo finger toward the touch panel; and 
 a canceling gas passage configured to receive a thrust-canceling gas pressure to provide a canceling force opposing the thrust force; 
 wherein the controller controls at least one of a thrust-forming gas pressure and a thrust-canceling gas pressure to regulate said contact force. 
 
     
     
         16 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising:
 a housing having a chamber for accommodating the at least one pseudo finger for linear movement therein; 
 a bearing-forming gas passage configured to receive a bearing-forming gas pressure for forming a hydrostatic gas bearing between the housing and the at least one pseudo finger. 
 
     
     
         17 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 16  further comprising:
 a plurality of pseudo fingers, 
 wherein the controller is configured to regulate the contact force of each pseudo finger independently. 
 
     
     
         18 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the hydrostatic gas bearing is substantially frictionless in the linear direction. 
     
     
         19 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the pseudo finger is journalled within a cylindrical bushing. 
     
     
         20 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the cylindrical bushing is porous.