Patent Description:
Pre-shipment inspection of manufactured electronic component is a usual practice at manufacturing sites of electronic component. Known apparatus for inspecting electronic component is exemplified by an appearance inspection apparatus described in <CIT>. The apparatus described in <CIT>has an integrated structure of a two-dimensional image lighting unit, a camera for capturing a two-dimensional image illuminated by the two-dimensional image lighting unit, a laser irradiation unit that irradiates laser light on an object, and a laser spot receiving position detector that receives laser light reflected on the object to determine change of height level of the object, thereby enabling acquisition of a two-dimensional image and a three-dimensional height information at a time.

Document <CIT> shows an arrangement for detecting the position of connecting pins of electronic components by positioning the electronic components at least approximately on a translucent, light-scattering plate with simultaneous illumination of the connecting pins and evaluation of the shape of the shading generated on the transparent plate through the connecting pins by means of an image recording on the side of the transparent plate opposite the electronic component with connected image processing. At least one light source for sequential Illumination of the connecting pins from two different directions.

In document <CIT>, a method for providing first and second backlit images of a semiconductor device edge and leads extending therefrom, is shown, wherein these images represent first and second viewing angles corresponding to first and second different optical axes as measured in a plate perpendicular to the device edge. The method comprises illuminating the device edge and leads with backlit diffuse illumination radiating in the directions corresponding to the first and second optical axes, capturing a first backlit image of the device edge and the leads in a direction corresponding to the first optical axis, deflecting a second backlit image of the device edge and leads from a direction corresponding to the second optical axis into a direction corresponding to the first optical axis, and capturing the second deflected backlit image of the device edge and the leads.

According to document <CIT>, a method for obtaining a machine-vision image of an object is known, the method comprising blocking a first portion of the object with a first illuminated surface, and imaging a second portion of the object using back light from the first illuminated surface.

Inspection of electronic component include inspection of mounting failure. The mounting failure is judged on the basis of inclination (flatness) of a component body when mounted on a board. The flatness of the electronic component is detected by measuring height of a terminal that extends out from the component body of the electronic component, that is, the height of terminal with reference to the component body. The more precisely the height of terminal is measured, the more precisely the mounting failure is detectable.

The height of terminal is determined on an image of the terminal captured with a camera. Hence, a possible way to detect the height of terminal may be such as applying the appearance inspection apparatus described in <CIT>, and obtaining information regarding the height of terminal from the two-dimensional image.

In a case of detecting the height of terminal which extends out from the bottom face of body of the electronic component, an effort for obtaining a sharp image by irradiating light from the side of a mounting face of the terminal, as described in <CIT>, has however caused scattering of the irradiated light at an edge on the surface of the terminal, and has often resulted in a less sharp edge seen on the image. This would make it difficult to specify a point to be inspected (inspection point), and would consequently degrade accuracy of determination of flatness.

The present disclosure, conceived considering the aforementioned problem, is to provide an inspection method capable of accurately specifying an inspection point on the terminal of the electronic component. In an aspect of the present invention, an electronic component inspection method in accordance with claim <NUM> is provided. Advantageous embodiments of this aspect are defined in dependent claims <NUM> to <NUM>.

The present disclosure can provide an electronic component inspection method that can accurately specify an inspection point on a terminal of an electronic component.

Prior to explanation of embodiments of the present disclosure, a first embodiment and a second embodiment of the present disclosure (also collectively referred to as "the present embodiments", hereinafter) will be outlined. <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating an electronic component <NUM> to be inspected by using an electronic component inspection apparatus suitable for carrying out the method in accordance with the present embodiments, in which the electronic component <NUM> is viewed from the side facing to the mounting face. Note now that the "mounting face" in the context of this patent specification is a virtual plane assumed when the electronic component <NUM> is mounted.

<FIG> are drawings illustrating the top face and the bottom face (the bottom face will also be denoted as "terminal face", hereinafter), wherein <FIG> is a bottom view of the electronic component <NUM>, and <FIG> is a top view of the electronic component <NUM>. The electronic component <NUM> has a component body <NUM> and terminals <NUM>, <NUM>. Note that terminals <NUM>, <NUM> that extend from the component body <NUM> are entwined terminals, and are not constituents of the mounting terminal.

The component body <NUM> has a bobbin (not illustrated) with a wound part (not illustrated) around which a coil <NUM> is wound on the outer circumference thereof, a base <NUM> that houses the bobbin, and outside legs <NUM> that partially house the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> and partially allow them to expose. The terminals <NUM>, <NUM> are mounting terminals that are electrically connected respectively with the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> to which coil ends (not illustrated) of the coil <NUM> are entwined, and are mounted on an unillustrated mounting board. These plurality of terminals <NUM>, <NUM> are held in parallel to each other by the base <NUM>.

In the present disclosure, a face which is directed opposite to the mounting face when the electronic component <NUM> is mounted will be denoted as a "back face". That is, the back face in the context of the present embodiments is determined with reference to the mounting face. The back face is identical to the top face of the electronic component <NUM>.

The terminals <NUM>, <NUM> are lead terminals that extend from the component body <NUM> in mutually opposite directions. In the present embodiments, the terminal that extends from the base <NUM> leftwards in <FIG> is referred to as the terminal <NUM>, and the terminal that extends rightwards is referred to as the terminal <NUM> for convenience. Note, however, that the present embodiments are not limited to inspection of the lead terminals, and instead are also applicable to any types of electronic component in which a part of the component body <NUM> and parts of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> form an overlapping area when viewed from the side of the mounting face.

When using the electronic component inspection apparatus suitable for carrying out the method in accordance with the first embodiment, the light is irradiated on the electronic component <NUM> from the side of the back face, to acquire a two-dimensional image of the back face. Contour shapes of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> are then detected from the thus obtained two-dimensional image, and points (ordinates) on the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> are detected referring to edges of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> determined on the basis of the contour shapes. Processing is then carried out to correlate the thus detected points with predetermined inspection points.

In the processing, the irradiation light irradiated on the back face of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> would occasionally not reach the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> while shadowed by the component body <NUM>. Aiming at solving this problem, the first embodiment is devised to insert a reflective plate into an overlapping areas of each of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> and the component body <NUM> when viewed from the side of the mounting face, so as to allow the irradiation light to reflect thereon, to thereby capture an image (referred to as "backlit image", hereinafter) showing sharp edges of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>.

The first embodiment of the present disclosure will be explained below, referring to the drawings. Note that the drawings are merely illustrative ones for explaining structures, arrangements and functions of an exemplary electronic component inspection apparatus suitable for carrying out the method in accordance with the first embodiment, without limiting specific shapes and other features. In all drawings, all similar components are given the same reference signs, for the convenience of occasionally skipping a part of explanations.

<FIG> is a drawing explaining an electronic component inspection apparatus suitable for carrying out the method in accordance with the first embodiment (also simply referred to as "inspection apparatus", hereinafter), and is a top view of an inspection apparatus <NUM>. The inspection apparatus <NUM> has a holder <NUM> that holds and fixes the electronic component <NUM>. <FIG> is a drawing of the inspection apparatus <NUM> viewed from the side of the mounting face of the electronic component <NUM>.

The inspection apparatus <NUM> has a pair of reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> arranged while placing in between an image capture area A in which the electronic component <NUM> is shot. The image capture area A corresponds to a zone shot by a camera <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. The electronic component <NUM>, when shot, is held and fixed so that the terminal face confronts the camera <NUM> and falls within the image capture area A. The reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> are arranged one by one laterally on both sides of the image capture area A, each of which being inserted into an area where the component body <NUM> overlaps with the terminal <NUM> or with the terminal <NUM>. The reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> have the ends thereof slightly declined towards the virtual mounting plane assumed when the electronic component <NUM> is mounted. Tilt of the reflective plates will be described later referring to <FIG> and other drawings.

The reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> have formed therein long holes <NUM>, and are fixed to an unillustrated base with use of bolts <NUM> inserted in the long holes <NUM>. The inspection apparatus <NUM> further has a transfer unit that transfers the electronic component <NUM>. The transfer unit may have any structure not specifically limited, by which the electronic component <NUM> may be loaded typically with use of a robot arm into the image capture area A from the front of the sheet of <FIG>, or may alternatively be transferred in the vertical direction of <FIG> typically with use of a belt conveyor, so as to move sequentially into the image capture area A, and then leave the image capture area A after shot.

The holder <NUM> holds the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> in midair, so as to enable the irradiation light coming from the lower side of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> to illuminate at least the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> of the electronic component <NUM>. <FIG> is a schematic drawing for explaining the inspection apparatus suitable for carrying out the method in accordance with the first embodiment. As illustrated in <FIG>, the inspection apparatus has the holder that holds the electronic component <NUM> having the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> at a predetermined position; and a photo-irradiation unit that irradiates reflected light Lr at least onto the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> of the electronic component <NUM> held by the holder <NUM>, from the back face. The photo-irradiation unit in the first embodiment has light sources <NUM>, <NUM> and the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>. A part of irradiation light L emitted from the light sources <NUM>, <NUM> is reflected on the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>, and irradiated as the reflected light Lr onto the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> from the back face.

The structure illustrated in <FIG> also has the camera <NUM>, which is an image capture unit that captures an image of the electronic component <NUM> being irradiated by the irradiation light L and the reflected light Lr with use of the light sources <NUM>, <NUM> and the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>; and a control unit <NUM> that controls processing related to inspection of the electronic component <NUM>, on the basis of the image of the electronic component <NUM> captured by the camera <NUM>. The reflected light Lr is given as backlight for shooting the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>, when viewed from the camera <NUM>.

Note that the first embodiment, although illustrated in <FIG> as an exemplary case having the light sources <NUM>, <NUM> and the camera <NUM> arranged below the electronic component <NUM>, is not limited to such structure. The first embodiment may alternatively be devised to set the electronic component <NUM> with the terminal face directed upward, and to arrange the light sources <NUM>, <NUM> and the camera <NUM> above the electronic component <NUM> so as to shoot the terminal face.

With the irradiation light L irradiated on the terminal face of the electronic component <NUM>, the first embodiment can brighten the terminal face, and can obtain a sharp image of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>. Such case would, however, make the light scattered on the edges of the terminals, occasionally making the edge contour less discriminable on the image. In addition, the irradiation light L would be shadowed by the component body <NUM>, so as to make the area where the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> and the component body <NUM> overlap less recognizable on the image. The present inventors of the present disclosure presupposed that the level of height of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> is measured at a plurality of inspection points, so that the aforementioned situation would fail in achieving accuracy sufficient for determining the measuring points of the height level of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>.

Aimed at solving this problem, the first embodiment is devised to compose the photo-irradiation unit by using the light sources <NUM>, <NUM> that irradiate irradiation light L onto the electronic component; and the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> which serve as a reflector on which the irradiation light L emitted from the light sources <NUM>, <NUM> is reflect towards the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>, as described above. The light sources <NUM>, <NUM> are freely selectable for example from known types of lamp and light emitting diode (LED). The reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> are preferably made of a highly reflective material, such as aluminum, stainless steel and other metals. A part of the irradiation light L directed towards the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> is converted to the reflected light Lr on the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>, and then irradiated on the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> from the back face.

As described previously, the electronic component <NUM> has the lead terminals that extend out from the component body <NUM>. A part of the lead terminals and a part of the component body <NUM> are arranged apart from each other, and form an overlapping area when viewed from the side of the mounting face. The reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> are inserted in the overlapping area at a level of height between those of the component body <NUM> and the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>. Each of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> protrudes downwards from the component body <NUM>, and further outwards again from the component body <NUM>. In the exemplary case illustrated in <FIG>, downwardly protruded sections and outwardly protruded sections of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> form the overlapping area with the component body <NUM>.

In the exemplary case illustrated in <FIG>, the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> are inserted so as to respectively aim at kinks between the downwardly protruded sections and the outwardly protruded sections of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>. The reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> in this setting are inclined downwards to the mounting face of the electronic component <NUM>. The reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> are, however, not always necessarily be angled in this way, instead may be nearly in parallel with the mounting face, or may be inclined upwards from the mounting face. Angles of the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> are suitably determined so as to enhance intensity of the reflected light at a desired position, typically depending on distance between the component body <NUM> and the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>, depth of the overlapping area, and position of the inspection points.

Positions and distances of the light sources <NUM>, <NUM> are suitably determined so that the irradiation light can be incident on the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>, and can give a sufficient amount of reflected light Lr to be incident on a desired position on the back face of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>.

The camera <NUM> shoots a range that covers the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> from the lower side of the electronic component <NUM>. <FIG> is a schematic drawing for explaining a captured image of the terminal <NUM>. With the reflected light Lr reflected on the reflective plate <NUM> and irradiated on the terminal <NUM> from the back face, the terminal <NUM> looks dark on the image, while the periphery of the terminal <NUM> looks bright. On such image, brightness at the boundary between the terminal <NUM> and the background largely changes, sharply depicting the edge of the terminal <NUM>.

The control unit <NUM> acquires data of the image (image data) shot by the camera <NUM>. On the basis of the image of the electronic component <NUM>, the control unit <NUM> detects contour shapes of at least the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>. As descried previously, the image shot by the camera <NUM> is a backlit image in which brightness changes largely between the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> and the background, making it easier to detect the contour shape of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>. In the first embodiment, inspection points to be inspected p1 to p8 (see <FIG>) are set, on the basis of the contour shape detected by the control unit <NUM>.

The contour shape is detectable by any of known techniques of edge detection in image processing. In the first embodiment, the edge detection may rely entirely upon the control unit <NUM>, or may rely partly upon an operator of the inspection apparatus. The edge detection in this case may be such that the control unit <NUM> detects the edges of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>, and presents them to the operator. The operator then may enter information for adjusting or correcting the edges, detected by the control unit <NUM>, through an unillustrated input device into the control unit <NUM>.

The inspection points may be set, for example, automatically by the control unit <NUM> according to predetermined conditions. Such processing may be accomplished typically by, as illustrated in <FIG>, determining on the image the inspection point p0 on the edge of the terminal <NUM>, and assuming this point as the origin, by setting pixels that are distant away from the origin by predetermined numbers of pixels in the x-direction and y-direction, as candidates for the inspection points p1 to p8. The control unit <NUM> may alternatively determine, from among the thus determined candidates for the inspection points p1 to p8, at least a part thereof according to a predetermined number or layout of the inspection points.

Also in such processing, a part of procedures may be left in charge of the operator. Procedures left in charge of the operator are exemplified by fine adjustment or selection of the inspection points.

As can be understood from the description above, the inspection method of the first embodiment includes: irradiating the reflected light Lr on at least the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> of an electronic component <NUM> that has a component body <NUM> and the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>, from the back face of the electronic component <NUM>; capturing an image of the electronic component under irradiation of the reflected light Lr; and controlling processing related to inspection of the electronic component, on the basis of the captured image of the electronic component. Herein, a part of the lead terminals <NUM>, <NUM> and a part of the component body <NUM> are arranged apart from each other, and so as to form an overlapping area when viewed from the side of the mounting face and the method further comprises: inserting a reflective plate <NUM>, <NUM> into the overlapping area of the component body <NUM> and the lead terminal <NUM>, <NUM> at a level of height between the component body <NUM> and the lead terminals <NUM> and <NUM>, irradiating irradiation light L emitted from the light source <NUM>, <NUM> on the terminal face of the lead terminals <NUM> and <NUM>, reflecting, from the side of the back face, the irradiation light L on the reflective plate <NUM>, <NUM> so as to convert the irradiation light L to the reflected light Lr, and irradiating the reflected light Lr on at least the lead terminals <NUM>, <NUM> from the side of the back face.

From among the aforementioned steps, the step of irradiating the irradiation light L and the reflected light Lr is conducted while holding and fixing the electronic component <NUM>. Action of making the holder hold the electronic component <NUM> may be assisted by some device such as robot arm, or may be manually achieved by the operator.

The irradiation light L may be irradiated, for example, with the aid of the control unit <NUM>, or a device that controls any unillustrated mechanism. Use of the control unit <NUM> for irradiation of the irradiation light L will, however, facilitate the first embodiment to synchronize irradiation timing of the irradiation light L and acquisition timing of image data. The irradiation light L may alternatively be irradiated manually by the operator who switches ON the light sources <NUM>, <NUM> which are the light sources of laser light. The step of capturing an image of the electronic component <NUM> under of the irradiation light L and the reflected light Lr may be activated, when the control unit <NUM> outputs a control signal that notifies shooting timing towards the control unit <NUM>. Note, however, that shooting per se may be conducted by the operator through handling of the camera <NUM>.

Control of the processing related to inspection of the electronic component may rely upon the control unit <NUM>, or may partly rely upon the operator as described above. The processing related to inspection of the electronic component is not limited to setting of the inspection points. Other possible processing includes inspection of in-plane deformation or variation of shape of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>.

In the first embodiment, the aforementioned processing may be followed by measurement of the distance between the camera <NUM> and the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>. Height may be measured with use of a 3D camera, typically according to the time-of-flight (TOF) system. For seamless operations from the setting of the inspection points up to the measurement of height, the camera <NUM> is preferably the 3D camera.

The thus measured distance is then computed to determine flatness of the electronic component <NUM> when mounted, making it possible to judge whether the electronic component <NUM> is acceptable or rejected.

According to the first embodiment described above, a backlit image with sharp edges is obtainable since the reflected light Lr is irradiated on the back face of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>. With the inspection points set on the basis of the backlit image, the inspection points will be more accurately set, and also the flatness will be more accurately detected as a consequence. The electronic component inspection apparatus suitable for carrying out the method in accordance with the first embodiment and the electronic component inspection method of the first embodiment can therefore accurately determine the inspection points on the terminals of the electronic component.

Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be explained. The inspection apparatus suitable for carrying out the method in accordance with the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment, in that the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> are held at different angles between during transfer and during image capture of the electronic component <NUM>, in contrast to the first embodiment in which the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> were held at a fixed declined angle.

<FIG> are schematic drawings for explaining the inspection apparatus suitable for carrying out the method in accordance with the second embodiment, both illustrating a part of the terminal <NUM> of the electronic component <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates the reflective plate <NUM> when the electronic component <NUM> is transferred, and <FIG> illustrates the reflective plate <NUM> when the electronic component <NUM> is shot. The electronic component <NUM> is transferred horizontally in the direction perpendicular to the sheet of <FIG>, with the aid of a transfer unit (not illustrated) such as belt conveyor equipped on the inspection apparatus. As described previously, the camera <NUM> can continuously shoot a plurality of electronic components <NUM>. The inspection apparatus suitable for carrying out the method in accordance with the second embodiment further has an angle changer that changes the angle at which the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> tilt from the mounting face. The angle changer makes change so that the angle of the reflective plates relative to the mounting face, during image capture of the electronic component within the image capture area A (a predetermined tilt angle as illustrated in <FIG>), so as to become larger than the angle of the reflective plates relative to the mounting face, during transfer of the electronic component from the outside to the inside, or from the inside to the outside, of the image capture area A (nearly flat angle as illustrated in 6A).

In the second embodiment, the control unit <NUM> is specified to function as the angle changer. In this way, the second embodiment now becomes possible to easily determine timing of changing the tilt angle of the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>, upon start of transfer or shooting of the electronic component <NUM>. Note that the timing of transfer of the electronic component <NUM> or its arrival at the image capture area A may be detected by counting a preset time necessary for transfer or shooting of the electronic component <NUM>, typically on the basis of number of clocks. The timing may alternatively be detected by using a photosensor, having a light emitter and a light receiver arranged while placing the image capture area A in between, by which arrival of the electronic component <NUM> at the image capture area A is determined upon turning OFF of the photosensor.

In this way, the second embodiment now becomes possible to reduce a range occupied heightwise by the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> in the overlapping area between the component body <NUM> and the terminal <NUM>, upon completion of shooting of the electronic component <NUM> and exit from the image capture area A, and can prevent the electronic component <NUM>, when transferred, from interfering with the reflective plate <NUM>. On the other hand, the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> during shooting are tilted between the component body <NUM> and the terminal <NUM>. In this way, the light that was emitted from the light sources <NUM>, <NUM> obliquely towards the component body <NUM>, and was converted into the reflected light Lr after incident on the lower faces of the reflective palates <NUM>, <NUM> can now illuminate the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> nearly perpendicularly as illustrated in <FIG>, making it possible to efficiently condense the reflected light Lr onto the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>.

This motion of the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> may be enabled by providing an unillustrated drive unit, typically a stepping motor, that changes tilt of the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>, wherein towards a driver of the drive unit, the control unit <NUM> outputs a control signal that instructs the drive operation. Upon acquisition of image data of a preceding electronic component <NUM>, the control unit <NUM> outputs a control signal that instructs reduction of tilt of the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>, towards the drive unit that changes the tilt of the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>. Upon detection of arrival of another succeeding electronic component <NUM> at the image capture area A, the control unit <NUM> then outputs a control signal that instructs increase of the tilt of the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>, towards the driver. After outputting the control signal, the control unit <NUM> instructs the camera <NUM> to start shooting, and acquires the image data.

According to the second embodiment, the electronic component <NUM>, when transferred, may be prevented from interfering with the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>, so that a series of processing will not be interrupted. This advantageously prevents process efficiency of inspection of the electronic component from degrading, and reduces a risk of deformation of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> of the electronic component <NUM> during inspection. Note, however, that the structure suitable for carrying out the method in accordance with the second embodiment, aimed to avoid interference of the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> and the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> during transfer of the electronic component <NUM>, is not limited to those relying upon change of tilt of the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>. Next paragraphs will describe variations <NUM> and <NUM> of the second embodiment, aimed at avoiding interference between the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> and the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>.

<FIG> are drawings for explaining a variation <NUM> of the second embodiment.

The inspection apparatus suitable for carrying out the method in accordance with variation <NUM> further has a reflective plate shifter that shifts the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> closer to or away from the electronic component <NUM>. The reflective plate shifter shifts the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> so that they will become distant from the electronic component <NUM> outwardly in the direction the terminals <NUM>, <NUM> extend, more largely during transfer of the electric component <NUM>, than during image capture of the electronic component <NUM>. In the inspection apparatus suitable for carrying out the method in accordance with variation <NUM>, the control unit <NUM> functions as the reflective plate shifter. The control unit <NUM> shifts the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> so as to make them closer to the electronic component <NUM> during image capture of the electronic component <NUM>, and to make them more distant from the electronic component <NUM> after the image capture. <FIG> illustrates a position of the reflective plate <NUM> during the image capture, and <FIG> illustrates a position of the reflective plate <NUM> retracted from the electronic component <NUM> after the image capture.

This motion of the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> may be enabled by providing an unillustrated drive unit, typically a stepping motor, that brings the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> away from or closer to the electronic component <NUM>, wherein towards a driver of the drive unit, the control unit <NUM> outputs a control signal that instructs the drive operation. Upon acquisition of image data of a preceding electronic component <NUM>, the control unit <NUM> outputs a control signal that instructs retraction of the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>, from the position illustrated in <FIG> to the position illustrated in <FIG>, towards the drive unit of the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>. According to the control signal, the drive unit retracts the reflective plate <NUM> from end point position M0 to position M1 where the reflective plate <NUM>, when viewed from the mounting face, will not overlap the terminals <NUM>, <NUM>. In the variation <NUM>, reflective plate <NUM> is consequently retracted by distance ΔM from position M0. In this way, the electronic component <NUM> is successfully prevented from interfering with the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>, when a transfer unit (not illustrated) of the inspection apparatus transfers the electronic component <NUM> in whichever direction from among the vertical and depth directions of <FIG>. Note that the structure suitable for carrying out the method in accordance with the second embodiment, aimed to avoid interference of the electric component <NUM> and the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>, is not limited to those relying upon driving of the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM>.

<FIG> a drawing for explaining the inspection apparatus suitable for carrying out the method in accordance with a variation <NUM> of the second embodiment.

In variation <NUM>, the reflective plates <NUM>, <NUM> as the reflector are fixed in an area that does not overlap the electronic component <NUM> when viewed from the side of the mounting face. In <FIG>, an area that overlaps the electronic component is denoted by I, and the area that does not overlap is denoted by O.

Claim 1:
An electronic component inspection method comprising:
irradiating a reflected light (Lr) on at least a lead terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>) of an electronic component (<NUM>) that has a component body (<NUM>) and the lead terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>) that extends from the component body (<NUM>), from the side of a back face opposite to a terminal face which is a mounting face of the electronic component (<NUM>);
capturing an image of the electronic component (<NUM>) under irradiation of light, from the side of the mounting face; and
controlling processing related to inspection of the electronic component (<NUM>), on the basis of the captured image of the electronic component (<NUM>),
characterized in that
a part of the lead terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>) and a part of the component body (<NUM>) are arranged apart from each other, and so as to form an overlapping area when viewed from the side of the mounting face,
and wherein the method further comprises:
inserting a reflective plate (<NUM>, <NUM>) into the overlapping area of the component body (<NUM>) and the lead terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>) at a level of height between the component body (<NUM>) and the lead terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>),
irradiating an irradiation light (L) emitted from a light source (<NUM>, <NUM>) on the terminal face of the lead terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>),
reflecting, from the side of the back face, the irradiation light (L) on the reflective plate (<NUM>, <NUM>) so as to convert the irradiation light (L) to the reflected light (Lr), and
irradiating the reflected light (Lr) on at least the lead terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>) from the side of the back face.