FR3138544A1 - Radiocommunication device for objects placed in a vertical stack - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a radio frequency communication device comprising: A base whose normal defines a vertical direction;A radio frequency communication reader; A first arm whose main dimension extends in a first direction; The first arm comprising at least two radio frequency antennas arranged along the first direction; Characterized in that the device comprises a system for rotating around an axis of rotation collinear with the vertical direction, in that each of the radio frequency antennas is connected to a port of the radio frequency communication reader, in that the at least two radio frequency antennas have a polarization with an electric field E whose radial component is less than a quarter of the standard of the electric field E and in that the first arm is positioned radially external to the axis of rotation. Fig. 1

Description

Radiocommunication device for objects placed in a vertical stack Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of logistics management of connected or connectable goods and in particular for goods of the pneumatic envelope type, whether fixed to a rim.

Technology background

The development of electronic objects in material or physical goods such as pneumatic envelopes makes it possible to make goods connectable and connected, which triggers the development of new services in order to optimize, for example, the use or identification of material goods . Thus, the emergence of this digital functionality leads to rethinking certain operations, particularly the management of material goods in order to pool actions at times when material goods are little used or when the electronic objects contained in these material goods are available or rarely used. . For digital identification operations of the material goods placed in the pile or control of the conformity of the pile of material goods, it is necessary to make readable all the material goods with which one wishes to communicate to ensure reliability of the information communicated with this without it being a hindrance in relation to the shaping of these material goods. Indeed, changing the format of material goods would lead to downtime of material goods, which is detrimental to the productivity linked to this material good; extension of transport time, non-use of material goods during this stage. Although they communicate, the devices of these physical goods are generally silent in order to save their own energy source or because they are devoid of any energy source.

Thus, it is necessary to initiate the communication of the communicating devices of these physical goods in particular to provide them with energy so that they can respond or to carry out checks on the adequacy of the information transmitted by the communicating device with the purpose of the stack of physical goods. All these operations consume time and therefore harm the productivity of these physical goods equipped with communicating devices. In general, the device communicates by radio frequency wave comprising a transponder which is capable of capturing the radio frequency signal emitted, of interpreting it and of restoring to this signal an action which can be for example, the emission of another radio frequency signal.

During the logistics stages, physical goods are present in large numbers and the means of handling goods are often metallic, which harms the radio frequency communication of communicating devices. In order to overcome this difficult communication, it is necessary to position the physical asset so as to orient the communicating device away from metal areas. These operations are time-consuming since they require handling of physical goods on the conveyor line or outside the conveyor, which harms the productivity of the physical goods transported by the conveyor line. The other solution consists of increasing the radio frequency communication power, which can lead to unsolicited interrogations of certain physical assets located near the targeted physical asset, which leads to a higher rate of rejection of physical assets which is also harmful. to the reduction of the cost price of the physical good.

The objects of the invention which follow aim to improve the quality of radio frequency communication of several material goods placed in a stack vertically, in order to reduce the cost price linked to the use of this material good while ensuring a robustness and reliability in radio frequency communication between these physical assets and external systems. Everything is done within the framework of the flow of piles of material goods without modification of the piles if they conform to expectations. The first objective is to read all the identifiers in the stack. The second objective is to be able to identify the order of the identifiers in the stack or even the direction of placement of the object in the stack when the electronic device of the object is placed on one side or the other of the stack. object according to the direction of the object corresponding to that of the stack.

Description of the invention

• Un socle apte à recevoir la pile d’objets dont la normale définit une direction verticale,
• Au moins un lecteur de communication radiofréquence apte à générer ou lire des signaux électriques vers ou depuis une antenne radiofréquence,
• Au moins un premier bras dont la dimension principale s’étend selon une première direction, préférentiellement la première direction étant colinéaire à la direction verticale;
• Le au moins un premier bras comprenant au moins deux antennes radiofréquences disposées les unes à côté des autres selon la première direction.

Le dispositif est caractérisé en ce que ledispositif comprend un système de mise en rotation autour d’un axe de rotation colinéaire à la direction verticale apte à mettre en rotation relative la pile d’objets disposés verticalement par rapport au premier bras,en ce quechacune des dites antennes radiofréquence est connectée à un unique port du au moins un lecteur de communication radiofréquence,en ce queles au moins deux antennes radiofréquences ont une polarisation avec un champ électrique E dont la composante radiale dans le repère cylindre associé à l’axe de rotation du système de mise en rotation est inférieure au quart de la norme du champ électrique E,en ce quedeux antennes radiofréquences contiguës sont situées de part et d’autre du au moins un premier bras,en ce queles antennes situées sur le même coté du au moins un premier bras sont écartées d’une distance d’ selon la première directionet en ce quele bras est positionné radialement extérieurement par rapport à l’axe de rotation du système de rotation, apte à être présenté extérieurement au cylindre circonscrit à la pile d’objets.The invention relates to a radio frequency communication device capable of communicating with a radio frequency transponder with a linear polarization antenna, linked to a geometrically stable object, said device being capable of accommodating at least two of said objects placed next to each other vertically. in order to constitute a stack which is circumscribed in a cylinder and the polarization of the radiofrequency transponder of the geometrically stable object being directed mainly in a circumferential direction relative to the axis of revolution of the cylinder circumscribed to the stack of at least two objects, said device comprising:

• A base capable of receiving the stack of objects whose normal defines a vertical direction,
• At least one radio frequency communication reader capable of generating or reading electrical signals to or from a radio frequency antenna,
• At least a first arm whose main dimension extends in a first direction, preferably the first direction being collinear with the vertical direction;
• The at least one first arm comprising at least two radio frequency antennas arranged next to each other in the first direction.

The device is characterized in that the device comprises a system for rotating around an axis of rotation collinear with the vertical direction capable of putting in relative rotation the stack of objects arranged vertically relative to the first arm, in that each of said radio frequency antennas is connected to a single port of the at least one radio frequency communication reader, in that the at least two radio frequency antennas have a polarization with an electric field E whose radial component is in the cylinder mark associated with the axis of rotation of the rotation system is less than a quarter of the standard of the electric field E, in that two contiguous radio frequency antennas are located on either side of at least one first arm, in that the antennas located on the same side of at least one first arm are spaced apart by a distance d' in the first direction and in that the arm is positioned radially externally relative to the axis of rotation of the rotation system, capable of being presented externally to the cylinder confined to the pile of objects.

Physical assets can be equipped with communication devices within their structure or on their surface. In the case where the material goods are axisymmetric around an axis of revolution, even if the angular position of the communication device within the material good can be defined, the goods are placed in a pile without an angular positioning being carried out between them so as not to waste cycle time for this purpose. Indeed, the axisymmetry of material goods tends to make the azimuthal positioning of material goods between them trivial.

In this case, the fact that an angular scan is undertaken between the material goods placed in a pile and the first arm by the rotation system, guarantees the reading of all the transponders of the material goods. The rotation system may consist of rotating the stack of objects alone, or the first arm alone, or rotating the two objects differently, for example, with a different direction of rotation or different speeds of rotation. As long as each geographical area of the material assets is observed for the same period of time during the reading phase, the reading of all the radio frequency transponders associated with all the material assets placed in the stack is ensured fairly.

Necessarily, to discriminate the vertical position of the radio frequency transponders, it is necessary to have at least two radio frequency antennas spaced vertically from each other in order to communicate with different areas of the stack. Thus, only the radio frequency transponders present in the battery zone will communicate with the radio frequency antenna associated with this zone. In order to segment the stack of physical assets between various zones, the antennas are spaced apart depending on the direction of the stack. And the process can launch the transmission and reception of radio frequency waves on all the antennas. By multiplying the radio frequency antennas and alternating those which communicate with said radio frequency transponders of the goods, it is possible both to read all the transponders, and to associate a relative vertical position of the transponders in relation to each other. The fact that each of the radio frequency antennas is connected to a single port of the at least one radio frequency communication reader allows that the communication between the radio frequency antennas of the communication device and the radio frequency transponders of the material assets is not sequential, which makes it possible to save communication time between the communication device and the stack of objects. Finally, the contiguous radio frequency antennas are located on either side of the first arm, which ensures that the radiation patterns of the two antennas will overlap little or not at all. What is required is that two antennas located on the same side of the first arm are spaced apart from each other by a distance of in the first direction so that their radiation patterns do not interfere with each other. . Thus, we can create a communication zone of the stack using several antennas possibly positioned at different heights, preferably, at half the height of the distance d'.

This second function determines a good ordering of material goods in the pile.

The radio frequency transponders of material goods have a linearly polarized antenna which is directed mainly in a circumferential direction relative to the axis of revolution of the cylinder circumscribed to the battery, that is to say that the electric field E of the The antenna has a radial component in the cylindrical mark associated with the axis of rotation of the rotation system whose amplitude is less than a quarter of the standard of the electric field E. In order to ensure effective communication between the radio frequency transponders material goods and the radio frequency antennas of the device, it is appropriate to make the axis of polarization of the radio frequency antennas of the device co-linear with those of the radio frequency transponders of the material goods. For this purpose, the axis of polarization of the radio frequency antennas is oriented mainly circumferentially relative to the axis of rotation of the battery by constraining the components of the electric field E of each radio frequency antenna relative to the axis of rotation of the system of rotating. The distinctive characteristic on the component of the electric field generated by the radio frequency antenna of the device according to the invention in the cylindrical mark ensures that the circumferential component of the electric field E is at least equal to 0.7 times the norm of the electric field E generated by the radio frequency antenna in transmission. Thus, the polarization axis of the radio frequency antenna of the device will be substantially collinear with the polarization axis of the transponder of the material asset, which ensures quality radio frequency communication. For this, the radio frequency antenna of the device has a polarization of the circular type, preferably elliptical, very preferably linear as long as the circumferential component is the majority.

Advantageously, the communication device comprises a system for positioning the at least one first arm relative to the axis of rotation of the rotation system defining a trajectory of the at least one first arm.

Thus, the communication device can adapt whatever the diameter of the cylinder circumscribed to the material goods placed in a pile while ensuring an acceptable distance between the radio frequency transponders of the material goods rotated around the axis of rotation of the communication system. rotation and the radio frequency antennas of the communication device. But, the communication device can also adapt whatever the angle of the cone of the pile of material goods by an inclination between the first direction of the arm and the vertical direction of the base while ensuring a similar distance between the radio frequency transponders material goods forming the cone and the radio frequency antennas of the communication device. The trajectory followed by the arm to position itself relative to the stack can for example be a translation, a rotation around an axis or the combination of a translation and a rotation around an axis.

Preferably, the positioning system of the at least one first arm comprises a system for guiding the translation of the at least one first arm in a direction of translation, preferably the direction of translation intersects the axis of rotation of the rotation system .

The most basic movement of the first arm will be a translation in a single direction. Preferably this direction intercepts the axis of rotation of the rotation system, which permanently ensures that the axis of polarization of the radio frequency antennas of the device will always remain predominantly circumferential with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotation system. rotation.

According to another embodiment, the device comprises an actuator system capable of setting in motion the at least one first arm relative to the trajectory imposed by the positioning system.

This makes it possible to automate the positioning of the first arm in relation to the pile of material goods without human intervention.

Advantageously, the communication device comprises a limiter, preferably comprising a sensor, capable of stopping the movement of the first arm according to the trajectory imposed by the positioning system when a threshold has been reached.

In order to automate the device and in order not to damage the material goods placed in the pile, the device includes a limiter capable of stopping the movement of the first arm during the trajectory imposed by the positioning system. The limiter, which can be equipped with a sensor or includes an open loop, assesses the proximity of the first arm to the material goods placed in the pile via a value. This sensor can be a force cell measuring the contact force between the arm and the material goods, a proximity sensor measuring the distance between the arm and the exterior surface of the vertical stack. But, in the case of an open loop, it can be a pneumatic or hydraulic or electric or magnetic setpoint.

According to another embodiment, the communication device comprises a centering system relative to the axis of rotation of the rotation system.

Preferably, the centering system comprises at least one second vertical arm linked radially to at least one first arm relative to the axis of rotation of the rotation system.

It is preferable that the stack of material goods and/or the first arm is positioned relative to the axis of rotation of the rotation system. Thus, the positioning of the first arm relative to the stack is done at an angular position relative to the axis of rotation allowing higher speed angular scans of the stack of material goods or the first arm. This centering system can consist of a series of vertical arms including in particular the first arm whose concentric movement is uniform relative to the axis of rotation. Thus, the concentric movement of the arms tends to position the pile of material goods so that the axis of revolution of the cylinder circumscribed by the pile coincides with the axis of rotation of the rotation system. To do this, it is sufficient for the second arm to extend vertically at least over the material good located at one of the ends of the pile. Generally the physical asset located near the base has the highest radial dimension to ensure the stability of the vertical pile and the second arm is located near the base at that time. This arm system will have the ability to move the pile of material goods onto the base.

Preferably, the rotation system is integrated into the base of the communication device.

This is a compact embodiment where the rotation system comes out of the base to rotate the stack of material goods and/or the first arm, by lifting them from the base, for example. Once the rotation is complete, it disappears under the base to allow the handling of the pile of material goods. An alternative would be for the rotation system to be located vertically above the stack, which requires a specific part linked to the stack but not part of the stack.

According to a particular embodiment, the communication device comprises a movement means integrated into the base defining a trajectory passing through the axis of rotation of the rotation system capable of moving the stack of material goods along the trajectory.

This means of movement allows the handling of the pile of material goods on the base. It could be a roller mat for example. In addition, it also allows the centering of the pile of material goods in relation to the axis of rotation of the rotation system by facilitating the movement of the pile according to the defined trajectory because the trajectory intercepts the axis of rotation .

Advantageously, the at least one first arm comprises a reflector element located radially externally to said at least one first arm relative to the axis of rotation of the rotation system.

This reflective element, that is to say reflecting electromagnetic waves, makes it possible to interrogate the radio frequency transponders of material goods located towards the battery and not externally to the battery. In this way, the risks of wrongly interrogation of radio frequency transponders of material assets located on another battery or associated with the environment in which the communication device is placed are minimized.

Very advantageously, the reflecting element is arranged radially externally relative to at least the two radio frequency antennas at a distance e, preferably the distance e being less than 0.5 times the wavelength linked to the frequency of the device. Here we mean the distance between two components the projection normal to the reflecting element.

In order to benefit from an influx of radiated power towards the battery, it is necessary to position the reflector element adequately in relation to the radio frequency antennas of the communication device which are the source of the electromagnetic waves. By respecting the mentioned proximity between the reflecting element and the radio frequency antennas, the communication capacity of the communication device is significantly increased by increasing the radiated power emitted towards the pile of material goods. In the case of passive radio frequency transponders of the RFID tag type (aronym in English for Radio Frequency IDentification), the greater the power emitted, the more efficient the radio frequency communication.

According to a specific embodiment, the communication device comprising at least one other first arm positioned at an identical radial position and a different azimuthal position of the at least one first arm relative to the axis of rotation of the rotation system, preferably the first arms are equally distributed around the axis of rotation,

By multiplying the first arms, we increase the number of communication antennas. By positioning the different arms at different azimuthal positions but at the same radial position relative to the axis of rotation of the rotation system, we can interrogate all the radio frequency transponders of the stack of material goods in a minimum of rotations of the battery of material goods or multiply the number of readings of the radio frequency transponders of the battery in a minimum of rotations of the battery. Preferably, if the first arms are equally spaced around the stack, an angular fraction separating two first contiguous arms is sufficient for safe, efficient and rapid interrogation of the entire stack of material goods.

According to another specific embodiment, the at least two radio frequency antennas of the at least one other first arm are located at different heights relative to the heights of the at least two radio frequency antennas of the at least one first arm.

In this configuration, we do not systematically seek to improve the reading speed of the radio frequency transponders of the battery. However, we are instead seeking to increase the spatial discrimination, particularly in the vertical direction, of the radio frequency transponders of the battery. In fact, the pitch between the radio frequency antennas is increased in the vertical direction without having to manage radio interference between antennas close vertically thanks to an azimuthal distribution of the antennas around the stack.

According to another particular embodiment, the communication device comprises two first arms located diametrically opposite to the axis of rotation of the rotation system.

It is a balanced configuration in terms of the number of first arms, making it possible to make a half turn of the stack to interrogate all the radio frequency transponders of the stack with sufficient discrimination in the vertical direction for pneumatic envelopes for example.

Preferably, each radio frequency antenna defining, according to the electrical power supplied, a communication zone characterized by a gain defining the maximum distance Di from the communication zone and an opening angle αi, the distance d' according to the first direction separating two antennas radio frequencies located on the same side of at least one first arm is lower than threshold A defined by the following formula: [Math 1]

Thus, it is guaranteed that no white zone of electromagnetic radiation appears between two contiguous antennas in the first direction and on the same side of the first arm at the stack level. One of the possible levers to ensure the geographical coverage of the antennas is to play on the electrical power supplied to the radio frequency antenna within the limits of the standards in force. By equipping the first arm with enough radio frequency antennas to cover a height greater than the greatest stack height of physical assets, it is ensured that the communication device will cover the interrogation and reading of any stack of physical assets . This guarantees that all of the radio frequency transponders of the material assets in the stack will be interrogated and listened to by the communication device.

Preferably the at least two radio frequency antennas are included in the group comprising a dipole antenna, a slot antenna, a loop antenna and a patch antenna.

The first two antennas, dipole and slot, are linearly polarized antennas, with the axis of the dipole antenna or the axis of the slot defining the polarization axis of the antenna. The next two, loop and patch, are circular or elliptical polarized antennas. We will position the plane of the antenna in a plane whose normal will be approximately the radial direction of the cylindrical mark associated with the axis of rotation of the rotation system. It is possibly appropriate to impose the shape of the antenna to favor one direction among the two directions defining the plane of the antenna and thus obtain an antenna with elliptical polarization making it possible to favor the circumferential direction of the cylindrical marker associated with the axis of rotation of the rotation system rather than the radial direction.

The invention also relates to the use of the communication device with objects placed in a pile included in the group comprising a pneumatic envelope, a wheel, a wheel valve such as a TPMS type valve (acronym in English for Tire Pressure Monitoring system), an element made of elastomeric materials of the assembled assembly.

These are material goods that can be placed in a pile to define the assembled assemblies of a particular vehicle, for example. The pneumatic casing may include an RFID tag (acronym in English for Radio Frequency IDentification) located in the sidewall of the tire and oriented circumferentially relative to the natural axis of rotation of the pneumatic casing. The wheel and the valve of the mounted assembly can also be equipped with radio frequency transponders whose communication antenna is oriented circumferentially relative to the natural axis of rotation of the wheel which coincides with the axis of rotation of the casing pneumatic for a mounted assembly.

The invention also relates to a conveyor line capable of transporting objects placed in a pile along a given path comprising a communication device capable of communicating to the radio frequency transponders linked to these objects.

Preferably, the radio frequency communication device is placed between two conveyors, the first conveyor, placed upstream along the given path, comprising a centering system capable of positioning the stack of objects relative to the width of the radio frequency communication device.

In the field of logistics, the integration of a radio frequency communication device along the conveyor line makes it possible to control the stack of objects during transport of the stack with minimal immobilization of the stack of objects, which ensures a competitive cost price. And in the event of non-compliance of the stack, this also makes it possible to remove a stack of non-compliant objects from the flow by integrating the radio frequency communication device between two conveyors of the conveyor line: an optimization of the identification function , ordering of the products and possibly their direction of installation is carried out. Centering the battery in the direction transverse to the trajectory defined by the radio frequency communication device ensures that the battery is predisposed in relation to the communication device. Therefore, if the communication device is equipped with an integrated movement means and a centering means, centering the stack relative to the trajectory minimizes the centering of the stack in a direction perpendicular to the trajectory of the means of moving the communication device. Therefore, the means of centering the communication device consists of making the axis of revolution of the cylinder circumscribed by the stack of material goods coincide with the axis of rotation of the rotation system included in the communication device. Thus, the dimensioning of this centering system is minimal, which reduces costs.

Brief description of the designs

• La présente une vue en perspective d’un premier dispositif de communication radiofréquence selon l’invention,
• La présente une vue en perspective d’un second dispositif de communication radiofréquence selon l’invention,
• La présente un diagramme de rayonnement d’une antenne radiofréquence,
• La présente une pile de biens matériels comprenant des enveloppes pneumatiques équipés d’étiquette RFID (acronyme en anglais de Radio Frequency IDentification),
• La présente une vue en perspective d’une ligne de convoyage comprenant un dispositif de communication radiofréquence.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended figures in which the same reference numbers designate identical parts throughout and in which:

• There presents a perspective view of a first radio frequency communication device according to the invention,
• There presents a perspective view of a second radio frequency communication device according to the invention,
• There presents a radiation diagram of a radio frequency antenna,
• There presents a pile of material goods including pneumatic envelopes equipped with RFID tags (acronym in English for Radio Frequency IDentification),
• There presents a perspective view of a conveyor line including a radio frequency communication device.

Detailed description of embodiments

There presents a first radio frequency communication device 1. This comprises a base 2 defining a vertical direction 21 according to the normal to the exterior surface of the base towards which are the other elements of the radio frequency communication device 1 which corresponds to the surface in contact with the pile of material goods. The device 1 also comprises a first arm 4 whose main direction defines a first direction 22. This first direction 22 is collinear with the vertical direction 21.

The first arm 4 is equipped with radio frequency antennas distributed in two groups located on either side of the first arm 4. The first group includes the antennas 10a, 10b and 10c, the second group includes the radio frequency antennas 10d and 10e. These radio frequency antennas 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d and 10e are galvanically connected to a radio frequency reader 3. The radio frequency reader 3 transmits and receives radio signals to or from the radio frequency antennas. The physical connection of the radio frequency antennas 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d and 10e to the radio frequency reader 3 is done via ports on the radio frequency reader 3, each of the antennas being connected to a single port. The radio frequency antennas 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d, 10e of each group are spaced apart, two by two, from each other by a distance of so that the height of the stack of material goods is covered by the radio radiation from the group of radio frequency antennas. On the other hand, in this configuration, the heights of the antennas between the two groups are differentiated, which makes it possible to improve the discrimination of the radio frequency transponders of the objects in the stack in the vertical direction 21. In this optimized configuration, the first arm 4 is equipped of a reflector element 15 located radially externally to the radio frequency antennas 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d and 10e of the first arm 4. The distance e between the antennas 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d and 10e and the reflector element is less than the half wavelength associated with the communication frequency of the device 1. This reflector element 15 prevents radioelectric radiation radially externally to the reflector element 15 with respect to the axis of rotation 31. In addition, the distance e between the reflector element 15 and radio antennas 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d and 10e guarantee to improve the radio power radiated towards the stack of material goods.

The device 1 comprises a system 5 for rotating the pile of material goods which is represented here by a cross animated by a rotational movement around an axis of rotation 31. This cross 5 is also animated by a movement of translation in the vertical direction 21 in order to be located below or above the external surface of the base 2 depending on the phases of communication between the device 1 and the pile of material goods. This thus allows the pile of material goods to come to rest or to move in translation relative to the device 1.

Here, the translation movement of the stack of material goods relative to the device 1 is ensured by a means of movement 12 of the stack. This means of movement 12, integrated into the base 2, is made up here of a series of rollers parallel to each other. Each roller is driven by a rotational movement around an axis, the axes here are collinear with each other. Thus, a trajectory 121 of the pile of material goods is constructed using the rollers. This trajectory 121 passes here through the axis of rotation 31 of the rotation system 5. This means of movement 12 easily makes it possible to guide the stack of material goods on the base 2 so as to position the stack of material goods relative to the axis of rotation 31 of the rotation system 5 of the device 1. At this moment, the rotation system 5 rises above the external surface of the base 2 so as to carry the stack of material goods and thus to separate it from the external surface of the base 2. The rotation system 5 then begins to rotate around its axis of rotation 31 to rotate the pile of material goods

In this configuration the first arm 4 is guided in translation by a positioning system 6. This positioning system 6 here comprises a translation guidance system 7 consisting of a groove at the level of the external surface of the base 2. This groove 7 defines a direction of translation 71 which passes through the axis of rotation 31 of the rotation system 5. This makes it possible to bring the first arm 4 closer to the stack of material goods, whatever the radial dimension of the stack material goods.

The animation of the first arm 4 is carried out via an actuator system comprising an electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic power source and ensuring automated translation of the first arm 4 in direction 71. Likewise, in order to automate the positioning of the first arm 4, the device 1 here comprises a limiter controlling the movement of the first arm along the trajectory 7 according to the proximity of the first arm 4 relative to the pile of material goods. Thus this limiter includes a sensor determining the distance between the sensor and the pile of material goods in order to stop the movement of the first arm 4 according to the measurement provided by this sensor in relation to a threshold which would reflect the collision of the first arm 4 with the pile material goods. This sensor is a proximity sensor of an electromagnetic, optical nature or a contact sensor.

The translation guidance 7 makes it possible to uniquely position the radio frequency antennas 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d and 10e of the first arm 4 so that the direction of polarization of these antennas 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d and 10e is mainly circumferential by relative to the axis of rotation 31 of the rotation system 5. Here the radio frequency antennas 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d and 10e are loop type antennas with elliptical polarization whose main direction extends circumferentially relative to the axis of rotation 31.

Finally, the device 1 here comprises a centering system 9 making it possible to properly position the stack of material goods in relation to the rotation system 5, more precisely to make the axis of revolution of the cylinder circumscribed to the stack of material goods coaxial. with the axis of rotation 31 of the rotation system 5. This allows better dynamic stability of the stack of material goods, in particular at high speed of rotation of the stack of material goods by balancing the centrifugal forces applied to the stack of material goods. material goods on the entire periphery of the material goods pile. Here the centering system 9 comprises the first arm 4 as well as a second arm 11. The two arms are linked together to ensure an opposite translation movement so that the distance between each arm and the axis of rotation 31 of the rotation system is identical. For this purpose, the second arm 11 is driven by a translation movement in the same direction 71 as the first arm 4 via a groove provided on the external surface of the base 2.

In addition, this centering of the stack of material goods guarantees that the distance between the first arm 4 and any material point of the stack of material goods located at a height H of the stack in the vertical direction 21 is identical. As a result, the radio frequency communication between the radio frequency transponders of the material goods and the radio frequency antennas 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d and 10e of the first arm 4 is equitable.

There presents a second radio frequency communication device 1 according to the invention. This device 1 always includes a base 2 capable of carrying the pile of material goods. It also includes a first arm 4 equipped with radio frequency antennas 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e and 10f which are connected via connection ports on a radio frequency reader 3. But, here, the first arm 4 is extends mainly in a first direction 22 which is not necessarily collinear with the vertical direction 21 defined by the external surface of the base 2, the surface having to accommodate the pile of material goods.

The first arm 4 is equipped with radio frequency antennas distributed in two groups located on either side of the first arm 4. The first group includes the antennas 10a, 10b and 10c, the second group includes the radio frequency antennas 10d, 10e and 10f. These radio frequency antennas 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e and 10f are galvanically connected to a radio frequency reader 3. The radio frequency reader 3 transmits and receives the radio signals towards or from the radio frequency antennas. The physical connection of the radio frequency antennas 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e and 10f to the radio frequency reader 3 is done via ports on the radio frequency reader 3, each of the antennas being connected to a single port. The radio frequency antennas 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d, 10e, 10ef of each group are spaced, two by two, from each other by a distance of so that the height of the pile of material goods is covered by the radioelectric radiation of the group of radiofrequency antennas. On the other hand, in this configuration, the heights of the antennas between the two groups are differentiated, which makes it possible to improve the discrimination of the radio frequency transponders of the objects in the stack in the vertical direction 21.

The device 1 comprises a rotation system 5 around an axis of rotation 31. However, the rotation system 5 animates the rotational movement of the first arm 4 instead of that of the pile of material goods as in the .

The device 1 also comprises a positioning system 6 of the first arm 4 relative to the axis of rotation 31 of the rotation system 5. This positioning system 6 comprises a translation guidance system 7 via a groove. This groove defines the trajectory of the first arm 4 in a translation direction 71. Here, the translation direction 71 intersects the axis of rotation 31 of the rotation system 5. The positioning system 6 also includes a rotation system of the first arm 4 relative to the axis of rotation 41 in order to define the first direction 22 of the first arm 4.

The translation guidance 7 makes it possible to uniquely position the radio frequency antennas 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d 10e and 10f of the first arm 4 so that the direction of polarization of these antennas 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d 10e and 10f is mainly circumferential relative to the axis of rotation 31 of the rotation system 5. Here the radio frequency antennas 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d 10e and 10f are half-wave dipole type antennas with linear polarization, the main direction of which is 'extends circumferentially relative to the axis of rotation 31.

The movement of the first arm 4 via the positioning system 6 is automated by an actuator system. And this actuator system controls both the rotation of the first arm 4 around the axis of rotation 41 and the translation of the first arm 4 along the direction of translation 71 in order to ensure the proximity of the first arm 4 relative to the pile of material goods. In addition, the device 1 includes a limiter which controls the animation of the first arm 4. Thus this limiter comprises a sensor determining the distance between the sensor and the pile of material goods in order to stop the movement of the first arm 4 according to the measurement provided by this sensor in relation to a threshold which would reflect the collision of the first arm 4 with the pile of material goods. This sensor is a proximity sensor of an electromagnetic, optical nature or a contact sensor.

Here, the translation movement of the stack of material goods relative to the device 1 is ensured by a means of movement 12 of the stack. This means of movement 12, integrated into the base 2, is made up here of a series of rollers parallel to each other; it could also be a sliding sole. Each roller is driven by a rotational movement around an axis, the axes here are collinear with each other. Thus, a trajectory 121 of the pile of material goods is constructed using the rollers.

This trajectory 121 passes here through the axis of rotation 31 of the rotation system 5. This means of movement 12 easily makes it possible to guide the stack of material goods on the base 2 so as to position the stack of material goods relative to the axis of rotation 31 of the rotation system 5 of the device 1.

Finally, the device 1 here comprises a centering system 9 making it possible to properly position the stack of material goods in relation to the rotation system 5, more precisely to make the axis of revolution of the cylinder circumscribed to the stack of material goods coaxial. with the axis of rotation 31 of the rotation system 5. Here the centering system 9 comprises four of the second arms arranged equitably on either side of the means of movement 12 of the stack of material goods. The four second arms are linked together to ensure a tightening movement around the axis of rotation 31 of the rotation system 5 so that the distance between each arm and the axis of rotation 31 of the rotation system in rotation 5 is identical. For this purpose, here the second arms are animated by a translation movement in two directions of translation via grooves provided on the external surface of the base 2. The two directions of translation intersect at the level of the axis of rotation 31 of the rotation system 5.

In addition, this centering of the stack of material goods guarantees that the distance between the first arm 4 and any material point of the stack of material goods located at a height H of the stack in the vertical direction 21 is identical. As a result, the radio frequency communication between the radio frequency transponders of the material goods and the radio frequency antennas 10a, 10b and 10c, 10d, 10e and 10f of the first arm 4 is equitable.

There illustrates the main lobe 51 of radio radiation of the radio frequency antenna 10a of the first arm of the radio frequency communication device in a plane defined by the polarization axis 50 of the radio frequency antenna 10a and the first direction 22 of the first arm. Here, the radio frequency antenna 10a is a half-wave dipole antenna.

From the power supplied to the antenna, it radiates in an omnidirectional manner such that the equipower curves represent closed contours on the two ends of the antenna 10a. We visualize on the an equipotency 51 of radioelectric radiation. It is then possible to determine the distance D and the opening angle α associated with this radio frequency antenna, which makes it possible to characterize the effective communication zone of this antenna 10a. Here, the representation is limited to a subspace due to the fact that the communication zone of the dipole antenna is axisymmetric with respect to the polarization axis 50 of the antenna.

We thus determine an effective distance D' corresponding to the product of the cosine α by the distance D of the equipotency 51 which determines the distance at which at least half of the radio power is exchanged between the radio frequency antenna 10a and a material point of the space located at distance D'.

The radio frequency antennas being located along the first direction of the first arm per group, it is necessary that the spacing between two contiguous antennas along the first direction of each group, that is to say the antennas located on the same side of the first arm, i.e. less than the sum of the distances D associated with the radio frequency antennas.

There presents a 200 pile of material goods. The material goods here are four assembled assemblies of which only the pneumatic envelopes 210a, 210b, 210c and 210d are represented. The envelopes are stacked on top of each other in the direction defined by the axis 202. This stack 200 is therefore inscribed in a straight cylinder with axis 202 whose diameter corresponds to the outermost diameter of the pneumatic envelopes 210a, 210b, 210c and 210d.

Here, the stack 200 is placed on a base 201 facilitating the movement of the stack 200. In fact, the base 201 is equipped on the face opposite to that which is in contact with the stack 200 with means of movement such as casters, for example example, not shown on the . Thus, it is possible to manually position the battery 200 relative to a radio frequency communication device and in particular position the battery 200 relative to the first arm and the axis of rotation of the system for rotating the radio frequency communication device. In this case, the radio frequency communication device does not necessarily need a means of moving the stack of physical assets.

Each pneumatic envelope 210a, 210b, 210c and 210d is equipped with a radio frequency transponder 211a, 211b, 211c and 211d which is in the present case an RFID tag consisting of an electronic chip coupled to a radio antenna of the half-dipole antenna type. wave which is a linearly polarized antenna. The radio antenna extends along its main dimension circumferentially relative to axis 202.

There presents a conveyor line 100 of material goods placed in a pile comprising a radio frequency communication device 1. Here the device 1 corresponds to that of the .

This conveyor line 100 defines a path 110 that the piles of material goods travel from a starting point to an arrival point. This path 110 extends here over the three elements of the conveyor line 100, that is to say a first conveyor 101a located upstream of the path 110, a second conveyor 101b located downstream of the path 110 and the communication device radio frequency 1 located between the two conveyors 101a and 101b. The two conveyors 101a and 101b are here equipped with drive rollers whose main direction is perpendicular to the path 110. The first conveyor 101a comprises a centering system 102 in order to direct the piles of material goods towards the middle of the conveyor 101a according to the width and thus prepare the passage of the stack of material goods at the level of the radio frequency communication device 1. This radio frequency communication device 1 being located in the middle of the width of the first conveyor 101a, the centering system is equipped here with two track retractors 102 symmetrical with respect to path 110.

Claims (15)

Radio frequency communication device (1) capable of communicating with a radio frequency transponder with a linear polarization antenna, linked to a geometrically stable object, said device (1) being capable of accommodating at least two of said objects placed next to each other vertically in order to constitute a stack circumscribed in a cylinder and the polarization of the radiofrequency transponder of the geometrically stable object being directed mainly in a circumferential direction relative to the axis of revolution of the cylinder circumscribed to the stack of at least two objects, said device including:

• A base (2) capable of receiving the stack of objects whose normal defines a vertical direction (21),
• At least one radio frequency communication reader (3) capable of generating or reading electrical signals to or from a radio frequency antenna,
• At least a first arm (4) whose main dimension extends in a first direction (22), preferably the first direction (22) being collinear with the vertical direction (21)
• The at least one first arm (4) comprising at least two radio frequency antennas (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d ^, 10e, 10f) arranged next to each other in the first direction (22);

Characterized in thatthe radio frequency communication device (1) comprises a rotation system (5) around an axis of rotation (31) collinear with the vertical direction (21) capable of rotating the stack of objects arranged vertically by relative rotation relative to the at least one first arm (4),in thateach of said radio frequency antennas (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f) is connected to a single port of at least one radio frequency communication reader (3),in this thatthe at least two radio frequency antennas (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f) have a polarization with an electric field E whose radial component in the cylindrical mark associated with the axis of rotation (31) of the implementation system rotation (5) is less than a quarter of the norm of the electric field E,in thattwo contiguous radio frequency antennas (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f) are located on either side of at least one first arm (4),in thatthe radio frequency antennas (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f) located on the same side of at least one first arm (4) are spaced a distance apart in the first direction (22)and in thatthe at least one first arm (4) is positioned radially externally relative to the axis of rotation (31) of the rotation system (5) capable of being presented externally to the cylinder circumscribed by the stack of objects. Radio frequency communication device (1) according to claim 1 in which, the radio frequency communication device (1) comprises a positioning system (6) of at least one first arm (4) relative to the axis of rotation (31) of the rotation system (5) defining a trajectory of at least one first arm (4). Radio frequency communication device (1) according to claim 2 in which, the positioning system (6) of the at least one first arm (4) comprises a guiding system (7) in translation of the at least one first arm (4) according to a direction of translation (71), preferably the direction of translation (71) intersecting the axis of rotation (31) of the rotation system (5). Radio frequency communication device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the radio frequency communication device (1) comprises a centering system (9) relative to the axis of rotation (31) of the focusing system rotating (5). Radio frequency communication device (1) according to claim 4 in which the centering system (9) comprises at least one second vertical arm (11) linked radially to at least one first arm (4) relative to the axis of rotation ( 31) of the rotation system (5). Radio frequency communication device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5 in which the rotation system (5) is integrated into the base (2) of the communication device (1). Radio frequency communication device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 in which the radio frequency communication device (1) comprises a movement means (12) integrated into the base (2) defining a trajectory (121) passing through the the axis of rotation (31) of the rotation system (5) capable of moving the pile of material goods along the trajectory (121), Radio frequency communication device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 in which the at least one first arm (4) comprises a reflector element (15) located radially externally to said at least one first arm (4) relative to to the rotation axis (31) of the rotation system (5). Radio frequency communication device (1) according to claim 8 in which the reflector element (15) is arranged radially externally relative to at least the two radio frequency antennas (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e) at a distance e, preferably the distance e being less than 0.5 times the wavelength linked to the communication frequency of the device (1). Radio frequency communication device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein, the radio frequency communication device (1) comprising at least one other first arm positioned at an identical radial position and an azimuthal position different from at least a first arm (4) relative to the axis of rotation (31) of the rotation system (5), preferably the first arms are equally distributed around the axis of rotation (31). Radio frequency communication device (1) according to claim 10 wherein the at least two radio frequency antennas of the at least one other first arm are located at different heights relative to the heights of the at least two radio frequency antennas (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d , 10e, 10f) of at least one first arm (4). Radio frequency communication device (1) according to any one of claims 10 to 11 in which the radio frequency communication device (1) comprises two first arms (4) located diametrically opposite to the axis of rotation (31) of the system rotation (5). Radio frequency communication device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12 in which, each radio frequency antenna (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f) defining, according to the electrical power supplied, a communication zone (51 ) characterized by a gain defining the maximum distance Di of the communication zone and an opening angle αi, the distance d' according to the first direction (22) separating two radio frequency antennas (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f ) located on the same side of at least one first arm (4) is lower than threshold A defined by the following formula:
. Use of the radio frequency communication device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13 with objects included in the group comprising a pneumatic casing, a wheel, a wheel valve such as for example a TPMS valve, an element made of materials elastomer of the assembled assembly. Conveyor line (100) capable of transporting objects placed in a pile along a given path (110) comprising a radio frequency communication device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13.