JP2005150314A - Appliance equipped with article information read-out apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide appliances wherein electromagnetic waves including the article information from an RFID tag attached to an article are received by the read-out apparatus without being influenced by electromagnetic shielding materials. <P>SOLUTION: The read-out apparatus 41 is installed on a partition board set up in a storage; and the read-out apparatus 41 is located away from a back board 17, side boards 19, and a shelf board 26, each formed of an electromagnetic shielding material, by prescribed distances. Due to this structure, electromagnetic waves transmitted and received between the read-out apparatus 41 and the RFID tag 30 attached to the article stored in the storage portion are not influenced by the back board 17, the side boards 19, and the shelf board 26, enabling the read-out apparatus 41 to read out the article information correctly from the REID tag 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a fixture including a reading device for reading information of an RFID tag in which article information is recorded.

  In recent years, in order to manage the storage state of articles stored in furniture, an RFID tag in which article information is recorded is attached to each article, information on the RFID tag is read by a reading device, and each article is based on the read information. Various devices have been developed that manage the storage state of the storage.

  As an example of this, the article information recorded on the RFID tag of the article stored in the fixture can be read by a reading device arranged on the shelf board of the fixture, and the article can be managed based on the read article information. There is such a fixture (see Patent Document 1).

JP 7-182357 A (paragraphs 0011-0022, FIG. 1-3)

  However, when the article information is read on the fixture side as in the above-mentioned document 1, for example, when a part of the fixture is made of an electromagnetic shielding material (EMS material) such as metal, the vicinity of this electromagnetic shielding material When a reading device is provided, the electromagnetic shielding material generates a magnetic field in a direction opposite to the direction of the magnetic field of the electromagnetic wave generated from the magnetic antenna of the reading device. Is affected by the electromagnetic shielding material, it is difficult for an electromotive force to be generated in the RFID tag, and a problem may occur in reading an electromagnetic wave including article information recorded on the RFID tag.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made paying attention to such problems, and an electromagnetic wave including article information of an RFID tag attached to an article is received by a reading device without being affected by the electromagnetic shielding material. The purpose is to provide such fixtures.

In order to solve the above-described problem, a fixture including the article information reading device according to claim 1 of the present invention is capable of storing an article to which an RFID tag is attached from an opening formed on the front surface. Provided with a reading device for reading information of the RFID tag in which article information is recorded, and at least a back plate or a side plate constituting the storage unit is formed of an electromagnetic shielding material. The storage section is divided into a plurality of partitions by the partition plate, and the reading device is disposed on the partition plate.
According to this feature, for example, even if the entire storage portion is a fixture made of an electromagnetic shielding material such as steel, the reading device is disposed on the partition plate, so that the electromagnetic shielding material from the reading device is electromagnetically shielded. It is possible to cause the RFID tag to receive the signal without being substantially affected by the signal and cause the reading device to receive the electromagnetic wave from the RFID tag.

A fixture provided with the article information reading device according to claim 2 of the present invention is a fixture provided with the article information reading device according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the storage portion is an electromagnetic shielding material. The reading device is arranged on the partition plate so as to be separated from the electromagnetic shielding material by a predetermined distance.
According to this feature, since the distance between the reading device disposed on the partition plate and the electromagnetic shielding material is always separated, the reading device receives the electromagnetic wave from the RFID tag without being affected by the electromagnetic shielding material. Can be made.

A fixture provided with the article information reading device according to claim 3 of the present invention is a fixture provided with the article information reading device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein two reading devices are arranged on the partition plate. An electromagnetic wave interference preventing member is interposed between adjacent reading devices.
According to this feature, the electromagnetic waves of adjacent reading devices do not interfere with each other due to the insertion of the electromagnetic wave interference preventing member, and information on articles stored in the storage sections partitioned separately can be received for each section. The load on the reading device is also distributed to each other.

A fixture provided with the article information reading device according to claim 4 of the present invention is a fixture provided with the article information reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the partition plate is provided with respect to the storage portion. The mounting position can be changed.
According to this feature, it is possible to provide a fixture including a reading device that can set the position of the partition plate to a desired position.

  Examples of the present invention will be described below.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an article management system to which a fixture is applied in Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 (a) is a front view showing the fixture of the present invention, and (b) is a diagram showing the door of the fixture opened. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line AA of the fixture of FIG. 2B, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing disassembly and assembly of the partition plate and attachment of the partition plate, and FIG. It is a plane sectional view of the BB line of the fixture of b).

  As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of fixtures 1 in which articles are stored are installed (three in this embodiment), and these fixtures 1 are connected to a relay device 11 via a communication cable 2. The relay device 11 is connected to the furniture antenna 10 via the communication cable 2.

  A management computer 3 that manages and operates the article management system and an input terminal 4 that performs data input / output and data display of the management computer 3 are mutually connected via a LAN cable 8 (in this embodiment, via a LAN). In addition to being connected, the communication antenna 2 is connected to the management antenna 9.

  On the other hand, the input terminal 4 is connected via a communication cable 2 to an RFID reader / writer 5 that can receive electromagnetic waves from an RFID tag attached to an article 7 or built in a user authentication card 6. The furniture antenna 10 and the management antenna 9 are connected to each other wirelessly so that various data can be transmitted and received.

  The fixture 1 has a structure in which a library 100 is placed on the upper side of the lateral 200, and an upper shelf storage unit 101 and a lower shelf storage unit 102 are formed in the library 100, and the drawers 201, 202, 203, 204 are formed in the lateral 200. These storage units store file cases for storing documents such as files and medical records, and articles 7 such as books. As will be described in detail later, RFID tags are individually attached to articles such as file cases and books stored in the fixture 1.

  The upper shelf storage unit 101 and the lower shelf storage unit 102 of the library 100 are provided with an RFID antenna as a reading device, which will be described in detail later, and can receive electromagnetic waves including article information from the RFID tag. Yes. The RFID antenna is connected to the management computer 3 via the communication cable 2, the relay device 11, the fixture antenna 10, and the management antenna 9, and the product information data of the RFID tag stored in the fixture 1 is stored in the management computer 3. By being transmitted, the management computer 3 can centrally manage the articles stored in the plurality of furniture 1.

  As will be described in detail later, the library 100 is provided with an unlocking lamp 115, a locking / unlocking device 117, a speaker 116, an upper shelf instruction lamp 111, and a lower shelf instruction lamp 112, which communicate in the same manner as the RFID antenna described above. It is connected to the management computer 3 via the cable 2, the relay device 11, the fixture antenna 10, and the management antenna 9, and the fixture 1 can be controlled centrally by the management computer 3.

  As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the front of the library 100 is constituted by a glass door 13, and the glass door 13 has a sliding door structure that can be opened and closed left and right. The door can be opened by the portion 13b or the right hand portion 13a.

  An unlocking lamp 115, a locking / unlocking device 117, and a speaker 116 are provided on the lower front side from the right side. Although the locking / unlocking device 117 can be manually locked / unlocked, the glass door 13 is normally locked / unlocked based on control data from the management computer 3. When the glass door 13 is unlocked, the unlocking lamp 115 is turned on, and when the unlocking is performed, the unlocking lamp 115 is turned off. The speaker 116 is provided as an alternative means of the unlocking lamp 115 and can be notified by a buzzer or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, the storage unit of the library 100 is divided into an upper shelf storage unit 101 and a lower shelf storage unit 102 by a shelf plate 25. The upper shelf storage unit 101 includes a file case 14 and a lower shelf. Books 15 are stored in the shelf storage unit 102. Further, a partition plate 50 is attached to the lower shelf storage portion 102, and the lower shelf storage portion 102 is divided into right and left by the partition plate 50, and a lower shelf left storage portion 102b and a lower shelf right storage portion 102a are formed. .

  The shelf board 25 is provided with an upper shelf instruction lamp 111 and a lower shelf instruction lamp 112, and on / off of these lamps is controlled based on control data from the management computer 3.

  An article lending method, which is an example of a method for using the article management system to which the furniture 1 of the present embodiment is applied, will be described below. The input terminal 4 shown in FIG. A desired book 15 is listed and a rental reservation is made.

  Based on the rental reservation from the input terminal 4, the management computer 3 specifies the storage location of the furniture 1 in which the corresponding book 15 is stored (in this embodiment, the lower shelf storage portion 102 of the library 100).

  Then, the management computer 3 transmits an unlock signal to the lock / unlock device 117 of the library 100 that is the specified storage location, and a lighting signal to the unlock lamp 115 and the lower shelf instruction lamp 112.

  The locking / unlocking device 117 is unlocked based on the unlocking signal from the management computer 3, and the unlocking lamp 115 and the lower shelf instruction lamp 112 are turned on based on the lighting signal, as shown in FIG. .

  Therefore, the user moves to the storage location for the book 15 with the unlock lamp 115 turned on, and the user opens the glass door 13 which has already been unlocked by the unlock signal.

  Since the lower shelf instruction lamp 112 is lit in advance based on a lighting signal from the management computer 3, the user is notified that there is a book 15 that is reserved for lending in the lower shelf storage unit 102.

  When the book 15 reserved for lending by the user is taken out from the lower shelf storage unit 102, the RFID antenna disposed in the lower shelf storage unit 102 cannot receive electromagnetic waves from the RFID tag attached to the book 15. Therefore, the management computer 3 determines that the book 15 has been lent, and the rent is completed.

  Further, when a book 15 that is different from the book 15 that the user has mistakenly reserved for borrowing is taken out from the lower shelf storage unit 102, the management computer 3 applies the lower shelf instruction lamp 112, the speaker 116, and the unlocking lamp 115. By transmitting an error signal and notifying by blinking of a lamp or a buzzer, an error notification is made to a user or an administrator.

  Next, the relationship between the RFID antenna disposed in the lower shelf storage unit 102 and the RFID tag will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the internal space of the library 100 is partitioned vertically by a shelf 25 that is an electromagnetic shielding material, and an upper shelf storage unit 101 and a lower shelf storage unit 102 are formed. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower shelf storage unit 102 includes a back plate 17 that is an electromagnetic shielding material, a side plate 19, a shelf plate 26 that is configured as a bottom plate, and a glass door 13. A partition plate 50 is attached to the lower shelf storage unit 102 between the shelf plate 25 and the shelf plate 26, and a partition RFID antenna 44 corresponding to an RFID tag reading device is disposed on the partition plate 50.

  The configuration and mounting structure of the partition plate 50 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the shelf boards 25 and 26 looking up above the lower side of the front surface of the library 100 which is the opening side of the lower shelf storage unit 102.

  The partition plate 50 includes a partition main body 51 and a lid 52, and the partition RFID antenna 44 is housed inside. Two protrusions 51a are formed on the upper portion of the partition main body 51 so as to extend upward and backward at a predetermined interval, and similarly, two protrusions 51b extend downward at a predetermined interval in the front and rear as well. It is formed to come out. A partition RFID antenna 44 is disposed at a predetermined position in the partition main body 51, and a partition plate 50 is configured by inserting a lid 52 into a groove (not shown) formed before and after the partition main body 51. Yes. The lid 52 prevents the partition RFID antenna 44 from being damaged or broken when the book 15 is stored, for example.

  On the bottom portion of the shelf plate 25, convex ridges 27 are formed at a predetermined interval in the front and rear, and a plurality of mounting holes 27 a are provided on the top surface portion of the ridges 27. A plurality of mounting holes 26 a are provided in the upper part of the shelf plate 26 at a predetermined interval in the front and rear direction.

  In order to attach the partition plate 50 to the lower shelf storage unit 102, the mounting hole 27a of the shelf plate 25 and the mounting hole 26a of the shelf plate 26 corresponding to the desired mounting position are specified, and the partition plate 50 is inclined to the left or right. The protrusions 51a and 51b are inserted into the mounting holes 27a and 26a while being positioned and fixed between the shelf boards 25 and 26.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the partition RFID antenna 44 that is positioned and fixed is always spaced from the back plate 17 by a predetermined interval (L1), and is similarly disposed from the shelf plate 26 by a predetermined interval (L2). The

  As for the distance between the RFID antenna and the electromagnetic shielding material, the electromagnetic wave from the RFID antenna is received by the RFID tag without being affected by the electromagnetic shielding material, and the electromagnetic wave from the RFID tag is not affected by the electromagnetic shielding material. It has been experimentally verified that at least the distance between the RFID antenna and the electromagnetic shielding material is preferably 40 mm or more so that the RFID antenna can receive the signal.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the distance (L1) between the partition RFID antenna 44 and the back plate 17 disposed on the partition plate 50 is 50 mm, and the partition RFID antenna 44 and the shelf plate 26 are The distance (L2) between the partition RFID antenna 44 and the glass door 13 is not particularly limited since the glass door 13 is a non-electromagnetic shielding member. FIG. 5 shows that the distance (L3) is set to 50 mm in this embodiment so that the electromagnetic waves are not affected in advance, assuming that the electromagnetic door is not made of the glass door 13 but particularly an electromagnetic shielding material such as steel. The distance from the side plate 19 of the partition RFID antenna 44 is set to 50 mm or longer than (L4).

  As shown in FIG. 5, a partition plate 50 is attached to the lower shelf storage portion 102, and the lower shelf storage portion 102 is divided into a lower shelf right storage portion 102 a and a lower shelf left storage portion 102 b by the partition plate 50. A plurality of books 15 are stored in the lower shelf right storage portion 102a and the lower shelf left storage portion 102b, and RFID tags 30 are attached to both sides of the book 15.

  A plurality of mounting holes 27a, 26a formed in the shelf plates 25, 26 are always arranged from the left and right side plates 19 to the partition plate 50, regardless of which mounting hole the partition plate 50 is attached to. The partition RFID antenna 44 is configured to be separated by a predetermined distance (L4) or more.

  Therefore, regardless of the attachment position of the partition plate 50, the partition RFID antenna 44 is not affected by the back plate 17, the side plate 19 and the shelf plate 26 made of electromagnetic shielding material, and the lower shelf Electromagnetic waves can be transmitted and received between the RFID tag 30 of the book 15 stored in the right storage unit 102a and the lower shelf left storage unit 102b.

  According to the above description, in the lower shelf storage portion 102 of the first embodiment, the partition RFID antenna 44 corresponding to the reading device is provided on the partition plate 50 even if the entire storage portion is the fixture 1 made of an electromagnetic shielding material such as steel. By being disposed, the rear plate 17 corresponding to the electromagnetic shielding material and the left and right side plates can be obtained simply by attaching the partition plate 50 to the mounting position (mounting holes 27a, 26a) of the lower shelf storage portion 102 corresponding to the storage portion. 19, since it can be separated from the shelf 26 by a predetermined interval (L1, L4, L2), the electromagnetic waves generated from the partition RFID antenna 44 and the RFID tag 30 are the back plate 17, the left and right side plates 19, the shelf 26, etc. Thus, the fixture 1 can transmit and receive electromagnetic waves without being affected by the electromagnetic shielding material, and can accurately read the article information of the RFID tag 30.

  The second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view of a fixture that is Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In addition, about the structure part similar to the said Example 1, detailed description shall be abbreviate | omitted by attaching | subjecting the same code | symbol.

  In the lower shelf storage unit 102 of the first embodiment, electromagnetic waves are transmitted and received with the RFID tag 30 of the book 15 stored in the lower shelf right storage unit 102a and the lower shelf left storage unit 102b with one partition RFID antenna 44. However, the structure of the partition plate 50 provided with a reading device capable of separately transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves of the RFID tag 30 of the book 15 stored in the lower shelf right storage portion 102a and the lower shelf left storage portion 102b will be described below. explain.

  A plurality of books 15 to which the RFID tag 30 is attached are stored in the lower shelf left storage portion 102b and the lower shelf right storage portion 102a that are partitioned on the left and right by the partition plate 50. Between the partition main body 51 and the lid 52 of the partition plate 50, a partition RFID antenna 46, a magnetic body 21, an electromagnetic shielding material 60, a magnetic body 21, and a partition RFID antenna 45 are sequentially inserted from the partition main body 51 side into a multilayer shape. It is arranged.

  The electromagnetic shielding material 60 is made of a metal plate and has a characteristic that prevents electromagnetic waves from the left and right partition RFID antennas 46 and 45 from interfering with each other. The magnetic body 21 inserted between the left and right partitioning RFID antennas 46 and 45 and the electromagnetic shielding material 60 has an effect that the magnetic field generated from the electromagnetic shielding material 60 has on the electromagnetic waves generated from the left and right partitioning RFID antennas 46 and 45. Has the property of preventing.

  Therefore, by inserting the magnetic body 21 between the both side surfaces of the electromagnetic shielding material 60 and the left and right partition RFID antennas 46 and 45, the article information of the book 15 stored in the lower shelf left storage portion 102b can be obtained. The product information of the book 15 stored in the partition RFID antenna 46 and in the lower shelf right storage unit 102a can be received separately by the partition RFID antenna 45. As a result, the partition RFID antennas 46 and 45 related to transmission / reception of electromagnetic waves with the RFID tag 30 are also distributed to each other, so that the article information of the RFID tag 30 can be read accurately.

  In the lower shelf storage unit 102 of the second embodiment, an electromagnetic wave interference preventing member having the magnetic body 21 on both side surfaces of the electromagnetic shielding material 60 is inserted between the partition RFID antennas 46 and 45 corresponding to the reading device. Thus, the information on the articles stored in the lower shelf left storage portion 102b and the lower shelf right storage portion 102a corresponding to the storage portions separately divided without interference of the electromagnetic waves of the adjacent partition RFID antennas 46 and 45. Can be received for each section.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and modifications and additions within the scope of the present invention are included in the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, there is one partition plate 50 attached to the lower shelf storage unit 102, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the partition RFID antenna 44 is disposed in the storage unit. A plurality of partition plates 50 may be provided.

  Moreover, in the said Example, although the lower shelf instruction | indication lamp 112 is provided in the shelf 25 as a means to alert | report the lower shelf accommodating part 102 in which the book 15 is accommodated, this invention is not limited to this. Instead, an instruction lamp as a notification means may be provided directly on the partition plate 50.

  Further, an example in which the RFID tag 30 is attached to both side surfaces of the book 15 so that the book can be easily read regardless of whether the book is placed in the vicinity of the left or right side plate of the partition plate is shown. Needless to say, the RFID tag 30 may be attached to only one side.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the article | item management system to which the fixture in Example 1 of this invention was applied. (A) is a front view which shows the fixture of this invention. (B) is a front view which shows the state which opened the door of the fixture. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the AA line of the fixture of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the assembly / disassembly of a partition plate, and attachment of a partition plate. It is a plane sectional view of the BB line of the fixture of Drawing 2 (b). It is a plane sectional view of the fixture which is Example 2 of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Furniture 2 Communication cable 3 Management computer 4 Input terminal 5 RFID reader / writer 6 User authentication card 7 Article 8 LAN cable 9 Management antenna 10 Furniture antenna 11 Relay device 13 Glass door 13a Right handle 13b Left handle 14 File case 15 Book 17 Back plate (electromagnetic shielding material)
21 Magnetic body (part of electromagnetic interference prevention member)
25 Shelf board (electromagnetic shielding material)
26 Shelves of bottom plate (electromagnetic shielding material)
26a Mounting hole (partition plate mounting position)
27 ridge 27a mounting hole (partition plate mounting position)
30 RFID tag 44 Partition RFID antenna (reading device)
45 Right partition RFID antenna (reading device)
46 Left partition RFID antenna (reading device)
50 Partition plate 51 Partition body 51a Projection 51b Projection 52 Lid 60 Electromagnetic shielding material (part of electromagnetic interference prevention member)
100 library (part of furniture)
101 Upper shelf storage (storage)
102 Lower shelf storage (storage)
102a Lower shelf right storage part (storage part)
102b Lower shelf left storage part (storage part)
111 Upper shelf instruction lamp 112 Lower shelf instruction lamp 115 Unlock lamp 116 Speaker 117 Locking / unlocking device 200 Lateral (part of fixture)
201, 202, 203, 204 Drawer

Claims (4)

  An opening formed on the front surface is provided with a storage portion that can store an article to which an RFID tag is attached, and the storage portion is provided with a reading device that reads information of the RFID tag in which article information is recorded. It is a fixture, and at least a back plate or a side plate constituting the storage unit is configured by an electromagnetic shielding material, the storage unit is divided into a plurality of partitions, and the reading device is disposed on the partition plate. A fixture provided with a reading device for article information.   2. The partition plate according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the housing portion is made of an electromagnetic shielding material, and the reading device is disposed at a predetermined distance from the electromagnetic shielding material. A fixture provided with a reading device for article information.   An apparatus comprising the apparatus for reading article information according to claim 1, wherein two reading devices are disposed on the partition plate, and an electromagnetic wave interference preventing member is interposed between adjacent reading devices.   The fixture provided with the reading apparatus of the article information in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 3 with which the said partition plate can change the attachment position with respect to a accommodating part.

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