Pose change apparatus and inspection method

1 . A pose change apparatus capable of changing a pose of an inspection target with the inspection target kept in a held state, the pose change apparatus comprising:

a first output shaft rotatable around a first rotational axis;

a first member rotatable around the first output shaft according to a rotation of the first output shaft;

a second output shaft disposed on the first member and rotatable around a second rotational axis tilted at an angle with respect to the first rotational axis;

a second member disposed on the first member and configured to hold the inspection target, the second member being rotatable around the second rotational axis according to a rotation of the second output shaft;

a first actuator configured to rotate the first output shaft forwardly and reversely within a first angular range; and

a second actuator configured to rotate the second output shaft forwardly and reversely within a second angular range,

wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are configured to be synchronously driven so as to cause the inspection target to perform a conical motion about a point at which the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis intersect with each other.

2 . The pose change apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first member includes a base portion coupled with the first output shaft and a first arm extending from the base portion in a direction along the first rotational axis; and

the second member is rotatably disposed on the first arm.

3 . The pose change apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the second rotational axis is approximately perpendicular to the first rotational axis.

4 . The pose change apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein:

the first actuator is a first motor; and

the second actuator is a second motor fixed to the first arm.

5 . The pose change apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a maximum output of the second motor is lower than a maximum output of the first motor.

6 . An inspection method using the pose change apparatus according to claim 1 , the inspection method comprising:

a first step of identifying a pose of the inspection target in a coordinate system of the inspection target;

a second step of converting the pose of the inspection target in the coordinate system of the inspection target that is acquired in the first step into a pose of the inspection target in a coordinate system of the pose change apparatus; and

a third step of actuating the pose change apparatus according to the pose of the inspection target in the coordinate system of the pose change apparatus that is acquired in the second step and imaging the inspection target,

wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are synchronously driven so as to cause the inspection target to perform the conical motion about the point at which the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis intersect with each other.

7 . A pose change apparatus capable of changing a pose of an inspection target with the inspection target kept in a held state, the pose change apparatus comprising:

a first output shaft rotatable around a first rotational axis;

a first member rotatable around the first output shaft according to a rotation of the first output shaft;

a second member disposed on the first member and operable to tilt the inspection target in a direction along a second rotational axis tilted at an angle with respect to the first rotational axis;

a second output shaft disposed on the second member and operable to rotate the inspection target around the second rotational axis;

a first actuator configured to rotate the first output shaft; and

a second actuator configured to rotate the second output shaft around the second rotational axis in an opposite direction from a direction in which the first member is rotated when the first output shaft is rotated around the first rotational axis,

wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are configured to be synchronously driven so as to cause the inspection target to perform a conical motion about a point at which the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis intersect with each other.

8 . The pose change apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein a number of rotations of the first output shaft per unit time and a number of rotations of the second output shaft per unit time are equal to each other.

9 . The pose change apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the second member is swingable with respect to the first member, and operable to change a tilt angle of the second rotational axis with respect to the first rotational axis.

10 . The pose change apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the second member includes an angle holding mechanism configured to maintain an angle by which the second member is swingable with respect to the first member.

11 . The pose change apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the angle holding mechanism is a motor.

12 . The pose change apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the angle holding mechanism is an air cylinder.

13 . The pose change apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the angle holding mechanism is a fixation member operable to fasten and unfasten the first member and the second member.

14 . The pose change apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein:

the first actuator is a first motor; and

the second actuator is a second motor disposed on the second member.

15 . The pose change apparatus according to claim 14 , further comprising a through-hole extending through the first member and the first output shaft,

wherein the second motor includes a power supply harness which extends through the through-hole.

16 . The pose change apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein:

the first member includes a base portion coupled with the first output shaft, and a first arm and a second arm forkedly extending from the base portion in a direction along the first rotational axis; and

the second member is rotatably disposed on the first arm and the second arm.

17 . The pose change apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the second member is open on both radial sides thereof.

18 . An inspection method using the pose change apparatus according to claim 7 , the inspection method comprising:

a first step of identifying a pose of the inspection target in a coordinate system of the inspection target;

a second step of converting the pose of the inspection target in the coordinate system of the inspection target that is acquired in the first step into a pose of the inspection target in a coordinate system of the pose change apparatus; and

a third step of actuating the pose change apparatus according to the pose of the inspection target in the coordinate system of the pose change apparatus that is acquired in the second step and imaging the inspection target,

wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are synchronously driven so as to cause the inspection target to perform the conical motion about the point at which the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis intersect with each other.