Dual applicator fluid dispensing methods and systems

Abstract

Methods of dispensing fluid are disclosed. A first applicator is positioned above a first dispense site at a first dispense region of a first electronic substrate by moving the first applicator using a primary positioner. A second applicator is simultaneously positioned above a first dispense site at a second dispense region of the first electronic substrate by moving the second applicator together with the first applicator using the primary positioner and moving the second applicator relative to the first applicator using a secondary positioner. It is then determined that the first or the second dispense region is misaligned relative to the other of the first or the second dispense region. Fluid is dispensed from the first applicator while moving the first applicator using the primary positioner to form a first fluid pattern at the first dispense region and fluid is simultaneously dispensed from the second applicator while moving the second applicator using the primary positioner and the secondary positioner.

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;   positioning a first applicator and a second applicator in the XY plane of the one or more first electronic substrates including:
 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 including moving the first applicator, using a 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 
 positioning the second applicator in the XY plane of the one or more first electronic substrates, simultaneously with positioning the first applicator above the first dispense site at the first dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates, above a first dispense site at the second dispense region of the one or more first electronic substrates including moving the second applicator together with the first applicator using the primary positioner and moving the second applicator relative to the first applicator, using a secondary positioner, in at least one of the X axis direction and the Y axis direction; 
   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 the first applicator while moving the first applicator, using the 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; and   dispensing fluid from the second applicator, simultaneously with the dispensing of the fluid from the first applicator, while moving the second applicator, using the primary positioner and the 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.   
     
     
         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 prior to positioning the first and second applicators. 
     
     
         3 . 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. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid pattern and the second fluid pattern are substantially identical in size and shape. 
     
     
         5 . 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. 
     
     
         6 . 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 the X axis direction and the Y axis direction. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , 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. 
     
     
         8 . 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. 
     
     
         9 . 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. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the secondary positioner is operatively coupled with and movable relative to the primary positioner. 
     
     
         11 . 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 the X axis direction and the Y axis direction. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 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.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , 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. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , 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. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , 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. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , 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 the X axis direction and the Y 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. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , 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. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , 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.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , 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 the X axis direction and the Y 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 using the secondary positioner, which provides movement relative to the first applicator in at least one of the X axis direction and the Y axis direction.