Dual applicator fluid dispensing methods and systems

Abstract

Method of dispensing fluid are disclosed. The method initially determines, based upon an image of a first electronic substrate, that a first or a second dispense region is misaligned relative to the other of the first or the second dispense region. Fluid is dispensed from a first applicator while moving the first applicator using a primary positioner on the first electronic substrate to form a first fluid pattern. Fluid is simultaneously dispensed from a second applicator while moving the second applicator using the primary positioner and a secondary positioner. The method then determines, based upon an image of a second electronic substrate, that a first and a second dispense region of the second electronic substrate are aligned relative to one another. Fluid is simultaneously dispensed from the first applicator and the second applicator while moving the first applicator and the second applicator together using the primary positioner with first applicator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of dispensing fluid, the method comprising:
 capturing at least one image of a plurality of dispense regions provided on an XY plane of one or more first electronic substrates;   selecting, from the at least one image of the one or more first electronic substrates, first and second dispense regions of the plurality of dispense regions of the one or more first electronic substrates;   determining, based upon the at least one image of the one or more first electronic substrates, that the first or the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates is misaligned relative to the other of the first or the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates;   dispensing fluid from a first applicator while moving the first applicator, using a primary positioner, above and along the XY plane of the one or more first electronic substrates to form a first fluid pattern at the first dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates;   dispensing fluid from a second applicator, simultaneously with the dispensing of the fluid from the first applicator, while moving the second applicator, using the primary positioner and a secondary positioner, above and along the XY plane of the one or more first electronic substrates and relative to the first applicator to form a second fluid pattern at the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates;   capturing at least one image of a plurality of dispense regions provided on an XY plane of one or more second electronic substrates;   selecting, from the at least one image of the one or more second electronic substrates, first and second dispense regions of the plurality of dispense regions of the one or more second electronic substrates;   determining, based upon the at least one image of the one or more second electronic substrates, that the first and second dispense regions of the one or more second electronic substrates are aligned relative to one another;   dispensing fluid from the first applicator while moving the first applicator, using the primary positioner, above and along the XY plane of the one or more second electronic substrates to form the first fluid pattern at the first dispense region of the one or more second electronic substrates; and   dispensing fluid from the second applicator, simultaneously with the dispensing of the fluid from the first applicator, while moving the second applicator together with first applicator, using the primary positioner, above and along above the XY plane of the one or more second electronic substrates to form the second fluid pattern at the second dispense region of the one or more second electronic substrates.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assigning the first applicator to the first dispense region and the second applicator to the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates prior to dispensing fluid to the one or more first electronic substrates. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assigning the first applicator to the first dispense region and the second applicator to the second dispense region of the one or more second electronic substrates prior to dispensing fluid to the one or more second electronic substrates. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the first or the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates is misaligned relative to the other of the first or the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates comprises determining that the first or the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates is rotated relative to the other of the first or the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the first and the second dispense regions of the one or more second electronic substrates are aligned relative to one another comprises determining that the first and the second dispense regions of the one or more second electronic substrates are not rotated relative to one another. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid pattern and the second fluid pattern are substantially identical in size and shape. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein dispensing fluid from the second applicator while moving the second applicator, using the primary positioner and the secondary positioner, to form the second fluid pattern at the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates occurs subsequently and in response to determining that the first or the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates is misaligned relative to the other of the first or the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein dispensing fluid from the second applicator while moving the second applicator together with first applicator, using the primary positioner, to form the second fluid pattern at the second dispense region of the one or more second electronic substrates occurs subsequently and in response to determining that the first and second dispense regions are aligned relative to one another. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein dispensing fluid from the second applicator to form the second fluid pattern at the second dispense region of the one or more second electronic substrates includes moving the second applicator together with the first applicator, using the primary positioner, in at least one of an X axis direction and a Y axis direction, which is orthogonal to the X axis direction, without providing relative movement between the first applicator and the second applicator, using the secondary positioner, in the X axis direction or the Y axis direction. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein dispensing fluid from the second applicator to form the second fluid pattern at the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates includes moving the second applicator relative to the first applicator, using the secondary positioner, in at least one of an X axis direction and a Y axis direction, which is orthogonal to the X axis direction. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein dispensing fluid from the second applicator to form the second fluid pattern at the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates includes moving the second applicator relative to the first applicator, using the secondary positioner, in both the X axis direction and the Y axis direction. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the first or the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates is misaligned relative to the other of the first or the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates is based upon identifying reference fiducials associated with the first and the second dispense regions of the one or more first electronic substrates from the at least one image of the one or more first electronic substrates. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the first and the second dispense regions of the one or more second electronic substrates are aligned relative to one another is based upon identifying reference fiducials associated with the first and the second dispense regions of the one or more second electronic substrates from the at least one image of the one or more second electronic substrates. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to dispensing fluid from the first applicator to form the first fluid pattern at the first dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates and prior to dispensing fluid from the second applicator to form the second fluid pattern at the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates:
 positioning the first applicator in the XY plane of the one or more first electronic substrates above a first dispense site at the first dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates and simultaneously positioning the second applicator in the XY plane of the one or more first electronic substrates to position the second applicator above a first dispense site at the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the positioning of the first applicator above the first dispense site at the first dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates includes moving the first applicator, using the primary positioner, in at least one of an X axis direction and a Y axis direction, which is orthogonal to the X axis direction, and   simultaneously positioning the second applicator above the first dispense site at the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates includes moving the second applicator together with the first applicator using the primary positioner and moving the second applicator relative to the first applicator using the secondary positioner in at least one of the X axis direction and the Y axis direction.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to dispensing fluid from the first applicator to form the first fluid pattern at the first dispense region of the one or more second electronic substrates and prior to dispensing fluid from the second applicator to form the second fluid pattern at the second dispense region of the one or more second electronic substrates:
 positioning the first applicator in the XY plane of the one or more second electronic substrates above a first dispense site at the first dispense region of the one or more second electronic substrates and simultaneously positioning the second applicator in the XY plane of the one or more second electronic substrates to position the second applicator above a first dispense site at the second dispense region of the one or more second electronic substrates.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the positioning of the first applicator above the first dispense site at the first dispense region of the one or more second electronic substrates includes moving the first applicator, using the primary positioner, in at least one of an X axis direction and a Y axis direction, which is orthogonal to the X axis direction, and   simultaneously positioning the second applicator above the first dispense site at the second dispense region of the one or more second electronic substrates includes moving the second applicator together with the first applicator using the primary positioner and moving the second applicator relative to the first applicator using the secondary positioner in at least one of the X axis direction and the Y axis direction.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first applicator is mounted to the primary positioner and the second applicator is mounted to the secondary positioner. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the secondary positioner is operatively coupled with and movable relative to the primary positioner. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first applicator and the second applicator are each operatively coupled to a carriage of the primary positioner, the carriage being configured to move both the first applicator and the second applicator in at least one of an X axis direction and a Y axis direction, which is orthogonal to the X axis direction.