JP2006164178A - Mark reading device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mark reading device capable of satisfying a demand for further miniaturization. <P>SOLUTION: In the mark reading device 1, first and second reflecting surfaces 30a and 31a adjacent to a main reflecting surface 16a are adopted in order to make effective use of non-utilized light. The first reflecting surface 30a reflects the non-utilized light radiated from a luminescent surface 15a of a LED 15 to the second reflecting surface 31a, and the second reflecting surface 31a reflects the light from the first reflecting surface 30a to a sensing zone S. Consequently, the light effectively used as primary illumination illuminates a sensing object C by the main reflecting surface 16a, the non-utilized light radiated from the luminous surface 15a of the LED 15 can be effectively used as illumination since the light which is not effectively used as illuminating light illuminates a sensing object C in cooperation with the first reflecting surface 30a and second reflecting surface 31a. Thus, a shortage in light amount caused by miniaturization of the device is solved, and reduction of contrast on a mark can be prevented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a stamp reading device for reading a stamp formed on a coin, medal, card or the like.

  Conventionally, there is JP-A-9-282512 as a technique in such a field. The engraving reader described in this gazette reflects light emitted outward from an annularly arranged LED by a ring-shaped main reflecting mirror, illuminates a coin with this reflected light, and indirectly illuminates. The coin is imaged with a CCD. This indirect illumination can reduce illumination unevenness, thereby enabling clear imaging of inscriptions such as coins.

JP-A-9-282512 JP-A-9-282513 JP-A-10-222715

  However, the above-described conventional marking reader has the following problems. That is, even in such a marking reading device, when further miniaturization is promoted, it is necessary to reduce the array diameter of LEDs arranged in a ring shape. This reduces the number of LEDs. As a result, the amount of light emitted from the illuminating unit is reduced, and accordingly, the uniformity of the light irradiated on the coin surface is liable to be reduced, leading to a decrease in the contrast of the engraving. This is a problem in promoting downsizing.

  In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a marking reading apparatus that satisfies the demand for further miniaturization.

  An inscription reading apparatus according to the present invention is an inscription reading apparatus for imaging a reading object illuminated in a reading area, and is arranged in a ring shape on a drive circuit board in a housing and emits light outward. An illumination unit, an imaging unit that receives light reflected by the reading object and images the reading object, and an illumination unit that is disposed between the illumination unit and the imaging unit and collects reflected light from the reading object in the imaging unit. A condensing lens unit that emits light, a main reflection surface that is disposed so as to surround the illumination unit in the housing, and reflects the use light emitted from the light emitting surface of the illumination unit toward the reading region, and a drive circuit for the illumination unit A first reflecting surface disposed adjacent to the main reflecting surface on the substrate side, and a second reflecting surface disposed adjacent to the main reflecting surface on the reading region side, the first reflecting surface comprising: Reflecting the unused light emitted from the light emitting surface of the illumination unit toward the second reflecting surface; The reflecting surface 2 is characterized in that for reflecting the light from the first reflecting surface in the read area.

  In order to reduce illumination unevenness, this marking reading apparatus uses so-called indirect illumination that illuminates a reading object after the light emitted from the illumination unit is once reflected by a main reflecting mirror. Furthermore, in the light emitted from the illumination unit of the marking reader, there is light that is not used as indirect illumination. In order to make effective use of this unused light, the first and second adjacent to the main reflection surface. 2 reflecting surfaces are employed, the first reflecting surface reflects the unused light emitted from the light emitting surface of the illumination unit toward the second reflecting surface, and the second reflecting surface is the first reflecting surface. Light from the surface is reflected toward the reading area. Therefore, the light that is effectively used as illumination originally illuminates the reading object by the main reflection surface, and the light that has not been effectively used as illumination light until now is the first reflection surface and the second reflection surface. By illuminating the object to be read by the cooperation, it is possible to effectively use the non-use light emitted from the light emitting surface of the illumination unit as illumination. It is possible to prevent a decrease in the contrast of the stamp. Furthermore, since the reading object is not illuminated with the light reflected by the first reflecting surface, but the reading object is illuminated through the second reflecting surface, the reading object can be illuminated from the side with a shallow incident angle. it can. As a result, an image with less illumination is obtained. Furthermore, by adjusting the reflection angles of the first and second reflecting surfaces, the light reflected by the second reflecting surface can be concentrated on the edge of the reading object, thereby the edge of the reading object. The contrast of the portion is increased, and the edge portion can be imaged clearly. This is particularly effective when determining the outer dimension of the reading object based on the outer contour information.

  Further, it is preferable that the second reflecting surface is subjected to mat processing. As a result, uneven brightness of the illumination can be prevented.

  According to the present invention, the shortage of light amount accompanying the downsizing of the apparatus is resolved, and the further downsizing of the apparatus is enabled.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a marking reading apparatus according to the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the marking reading device 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing 10 made of resin, and a circular opening 11 is formed on the lower surface of the housing 10. 11 is closed by a transparent plate 12 formed of sapphire glass or the like. Then, in the reading region S on the transparent plate 12, a reading object (for example, a 500 yen coin) C is imaged while being pressed against the transparent plate 12.

  Furthermore, a transport device 20 for transporting the reading object C to the transparent plate 12 is provided below the housing 10. The conveying device 20 is adjacent to an endless belt 21 extending in the conveying direction A of the reading object C, a pair of pulleys 22 and 23 for circulatingly driving the endless belt 21, and a lower surface of the marking reading device 1. And a transport table 24 extending in the transport direction A. Therefore, by rotating the pulley 23 with a motor (not shown), the endless belt 21 can be driven and the reading object C can be automatically conveyed onto the reading area S of the transparent plate 12.

In addition, an illumination unit 14 is disposed in the housing 10 in the vicinity of the transparent plate 12. The illuminating unit 14 is fixed to be arranged in a ring shape on the drive circuit board 18 having a donut-shaped illumination lighting, and a plurality of LEDs 15 that emit diverging light outward (for example, An annular main reflecting mirror 16 arranged to surround each LED 15 reflects the light emitted from each LED 15 toward the reading region S on the transparent plate 12. Let Therefore, the light emitted from each LED 15 is once reflected by the main reflecting mirror 16 and then illuminates the reading object C, whereby indirect illumination is achieved and illumination unevenness is reduced.

  Further, inside the housing 10, a condensing lens unit 25 that is disposed between the CCD 27 as an imaging unit, and the illumination unit 14 and the CCD 27 and condenses the light reflected by the reading object C onto the CCD 27. And a light projecting element (for example, LED) 28 that emits light toward the transparent plate 12 is provided. A light receiving element 29 for receiving light emitted from the light projecting element 28 and transmitted through the transparent plate 12 is provided outside the housing 10. The light projecting element 28 and the light receiving element 29 are used as sensors for detecting that the reading object C has arrived in the reading area S, and at the moment when the reading object C enters the reading area S, The coin detection signal from the light receiving element 29 is applied to the LED 15 and the CCD camera 27, and the LED 15 and the CCD camera 27 start operating by this signal. Since each LED 15 is lit for a very short time, a still image capturing a moment of the reading object C being conveyed is captured by the CCD camera 27.

  Further, the LEDs 15 are arranged in a ring shape on the drive circuit board 18 so as to face the ring-shaped main reflecting mirror 16. The drive circuit board 18 is fixed to a support frame 19 provided in the housing 10 and is arranged in parallel to the transparent plate 12 and has a circular imaging opening 18a at the center. . Further, the LEDs 15 are arranged in an annular manner at equal intervals on the transparent plate 12 side of the drive circuit board 18 and emit light radially outward. Further, the main reflecting mirror 16 disposed so as to surround each LED 15 is attached between the drive circuit board 18 and the transparent plate 12 so as to be fixed to the inner wall surface 10 a of the housing 10.

  Here, as the size reduction of the marking reading device 1 is promoted, the array diameter of the LEDs 15 arranged in a ring shape becomes smaller. Thereby, the number of each LED15 decreases. As a result, the amount of light emitted from the illuminating unit 14 is reduced, and accordingly, the uniformity of the light applied to the surface of the reading object C is likely to be reduced, and the contrast of the markings existing on the surface of a coin, a card, etc. Invite the decline.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, a ring-shaped main reflecting mirror 16 and the main reflecting mirror 16 are provided between the transparent plate 12 and the drive circuit board 18 so as to satisfy the demand for further miniaturization. Ring-shaped first and second reflecting mirrors 30 and 31 arranged so as to be sandwiched between the upper and lower sides are provided. The main reflecting surface 16 a of the main reflecting mirror 16 is disposed so as to surround the illumination unit 14 in the housing 10, and reflects such that the used light emitted from the light emitting surface 15 a of the LED 15 is reflected toward the reading region S. It is set to an angle.

  On the other hand, the first reflecting surface 30a of the first reflecting mirror 30 positioned on the drive circuit board 18 side is disposed adjacent to the main reflecting surface 16a, and the first reflecting mirror 30 is formed on the driving circuit board. 18 and the main reflecting mirror 16. Further, the second reflecting surface 31a of the second reflecting mirror 31 located on the transparent plate 12 side, that is, the reading area S side is disposed adjacent to the main reflecting surface 16a, and the second reflecting mirror 31 is a transparent plate. 12 and the main reflecting mirror 16. Further, the first reflecting surface 30a reflects the unused light emitted from the light emitting surface 15a of the LED 15 toward the second reflecting surface 31a, and the second reflecting surface 31a is reflected from the first reflecting surface 30a. The reflection angle is set so as to reflect the light toward the reading area S.

  The “utilized light” mentioned above refers to the light emitted from the LED 15 that is reflected by the main reflecting mirror 16 and then contributes to the illumination of the reading region S. The “unutilized light” refers to the light from the LED 15. Of the emitted light, it refers to light that does not contribute to illumination of the reading area S. Actually, when a part of the light emitting surface 15a is closed and verified, there is light that hardly affects imaging. This light is defined as “unused light”.

  As described above, the light emitted from the illuminating unit 14 of the marking reading device 1 includes light that is not used as indirect illumination, and is adjacent to the main reflecting surface 16a in order to effectively use the non-use light. The first and second reflecting surfaces 30a and 31a are employed. Therefore, the light that is essentially effectively used as illumination illuminates the reading object C by the main reflection surface 16a, and the light that has not been effectively used as illumination light until now is the first reflection surface 30a and the second reflection light. By illuminating the reading object C in cooperation with the reflecting surface 31a, the unused light emitted from the light emitting surface 15a of the LED 15 can be used effectively as illumination, and accordingly, the apparatus 1 is downsized. Insufficient light quantity is eliminated, and a drop in the contrast of the stamp can be prevented.

  Furthermore, since the reading object C is not directly illuminated by the light reflected by the first reflecting surface 30a, but the reading object C is illuminated through the second reflecting surface 31a, the reading object has a shallow incident angle. Can be illuminated from the side. As a result, an image with less illumination is obtained. Further, by adjusting the reflection angle of the first and second reflection surfaces 30a and 31a, the light reflected by the second reflection surface 31a can be concentrated on the edge of the reading object C, thereby The contrast of the edge portion of the reading object C is increased, and the edge portion can be imaged clearly. This is particularly effective when determining the outer dimension of the reading object C based on the outer contour information.

  It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. For example, the second reflective surface 31a is subjected to a matte process called a matte process or a matte process. As a result, uneven brightness of the illumination can be prevented. Moreover, the ring-shaped main reflecting mirror 16 and the ring-shaped first and second reflecting mirrors 30 and 31 may be separate or integrated. Needless to say, the reading object C is not limited to coins but may be a medal or a card.

It is a perspective view which shows one Embodiment of the marking reader which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing of the marking reader which concerns on this invention. It is a principal part expanded sectional view of a marking reading apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Mark reading apparatus, 10 ... Housing | casing, 14 ... Illumination part, 15 ... LED, 15a ... Light emission surface, 16 ... Main reflection mirror, 16a ... Main reflection surface, 18 ... Drive circuit board, 25 ... Condensing lens part, 27 ... CCD (imaging part), 30a ... 1st reflective surface, 31a ... 2nd reflective surface, C ... coin (reading object), S ... reading area | region.

Claims (2)

In a marking reader for imaging a reading object illuminated in a reading area,
An illumination unit arranged in a ring shape on the drive circuit board in the housing and emitting light toward the outside;
An imaging unit that receives the light reflected by the reading object and images the reading object;
A condensing lens unit that is disposed between the illumination unit and the imaging unit and collects reflected light from the reading object on the imaging unit;
A main reflecting surface that is disposed so as to surround the illuminating unit in the housing and reflects the use light emitted from the light emitting surface of the illuminating unit toward the reading region;
A first reflecting surface disposed adjacent to the main reflecting surface on the drive circuit board side of the illumination unit;
A second reflecting surface disposed adjacent to the main reflecting surface on the reading area side,
The first reflecting surface reflects unused light emitted from the light emitting surface of the illumination unit toward the second reflecting surface, and the second reflecting surface is reflected from the first reflecting surface. The marking reader is characterized by reflecting the light of the beam toward the reading area.   2. The marking reading device according to claim 1, wherein the second reflecting surface is matted.

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