JP2010157159A - Optical information reading device and beverage extraction device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inexpensively and highly reliably read information attached to the surface of a cartridge in which the raw materials of beverage are stored. <P>SOLUTION: A bar code scanner 1 includes an inner case 50 configured to hold a camera module 12 in a sealed state, and equipped with a light transmission section consisting of a plastic mask 27 and an upper case 30 configured to cover at least the section of the light transmission section in the inner case 50, and equipped with a light transmission section consisting of a plastic mask 32, wherein the sealing property of the upper case 30 is lower than that of the inner case 50. An air layer is arranged between the light transmission section of the upper case 30 and the light transmission section of the inner case 50, and the camera module 12 is configured to pickup the image of a bar code attached to a reading object through the light transmission sections of the inner case 50 and the upper case 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical information reading device that reads information indicated by a symbol or character having a light reflectance different from that of the surroundings, and is suitable for use in a beverage extraction device that extracts hot beverage using hot water. Relates to the device. The present invention also relates to a beverage extraction apparatus provided with such an optical information reader.

  Conventionally, as described in Patent Document 1, raw materials such as ground coffee beans and tea leaves are stored in a detachable cartridge, and this cartridge is attached to the main body of the apparatus, and heat for extraction under appropriate conditions. There is known a beverage extraction device that can extract a beverage such as coffee or tea by pouring water and pour it into a cup.

In such a beverage extraction device, information about the contents is attached to the cartridge by a symbol such as a barcode, the information is read by a reading device such as a barcode reader, and the extraction conditions are controlled according to the content. It is known to do.
According to such a beverage extraction device, it is possible to provide delicious beverages by automatically setting and extracting optimum conditions for various beverages without bothering the user.

  In addition, conventionally, as described in Patent Document 2, in order to prevent a barcode reading failure in a low-temperature work place or the like, in a barcode reading device, the glass body provided on the reader is transparent on the outer front surface. It is known that the body is fixed.

International Publication No. 2008/111969 Pamphlet (especially pages 1-3 and 1-2) Utility Model Registration No. 2581331

  By the way, when reading a symbol, a character, or the like attached to the cartridge surface in a beverage extraction apparatus as described in Patent Document 1, changes in temperature and humidity of the reading environment become a problem. That is, when it is intended to reduce the size of the beverage extraction device, it is necessary to arrange the reader near the flow path of hot water for extraction or hot beverage after extraction. You will be exposed to heat and steam. For this reason, there is a problem that a large temperature difference occurs inside and outside the case storing the image pickup unit of the reading device, condensation occurs in the case, light is scattered by the water droplets, and reading may not be performed accurately. was there.

  In particular, the case is usually sealed to protect the imaging unit, but it may not always be sealed with sufficient strength in consideration of cost, in which case water vapor once enters the inside and condensation occurs. Since the water droplets hardly evaporate, it is difficult to eliminate the condensation, which is a big problem.

Also, in the case of a beverage extraction device, the cartridge often has a structure that is not so strong as to block heat and steam in order to reduce the cost. Also, when a beverage after extraction is poured into a container such as a cup, the cartridge is removed from the cartridge. In many cases, the container falls to a state where the beverage is exposed. Therefore, a large amount of heat and steam are released from the cartridge and the exposed beverage to the surroundings, and it can be said that the above problem is very remarkable.
In this regard, the barcode reader described in Patent Document 2 has been devised in consideration of use in a low temperature environment, and is not a configuration suitable for use in a beverage extraction device.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and in a beverage extraction apparatus for extracting a beverage using hot water, information attached to the surface of a cartridge storing beverage ingredients is optical information. An object is to enable reading with a reading device at low cost and high reliability.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an optical information reader that reads information indicated by symbols or characters having different light reflectivity from the surroundings, and holds the imaging unit and the imaging unit in a sealed state. An inner case having a translucent portion, and an outer case that covers at least a portion of the translucent portion of the inner case, has a translucent portion, and has a lower sealing property than the inner case, and And means for capturing an image of the information attached to the reading object through the light transmitting portions of the inner case and the outer case, and air between the light transmitting portion of the outer case and the light transmitting portion of the inner case. A layer is provided.

In the above optical information reader, the outer case is fixed to the inner case, and a part of the portion where the inner case and the outer case are in contact with each other has air permeability to the air layer, and the remaining portion. Then, it is preferable that the inner case and the outer case are in close contact with each other.
Further, the outer case is fixed to the inner case by fitting, and for each of the inner case and the outer case, adhesion is ensured by providing a resin in a portion other than the fitting portion of the surfaces in contact with each other. On the other hand, the fitting portion may be configured to have air permeability to the air layer.
Furthermore, a waterproof and moisture permeable member may be provided at the location having the above air permeability.

Moreover, the beverage extraction device of the present invention is the beverage extraction device for pouring hot water into a removable cartridge storing the raw material to extract the beverage and pouring it into the beverage container. Information that is provided at a position facing the cartridge and that is indicated by symbols or characters having light reflectivity different from the surroundings on the cartridge is read by the optical information reader, and the read information Control means for controlling the operation of the beverage extraction device in accordance with the contents of is provided.
Further, in such a beverage extraction device, the optical information reader is placed at a position facing the cartridge so that a portion having air permeability to the air layer does not face the hot water and beverage flow paths. It is good to provide.

  According to the optical information reading device and the beverage extraction device of the present invention as described above, in the beverage extraction device that extracts the beverage using hot water, the information attached to the surface of the cartridge storing the beverage ingredients is inexpensive. And it can be read with high reliability.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
First, the configuration of a bar code reader which is an embodiment of the optical information reading apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the bar code reader. FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state in which the barcode reader is assembled, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1 in a state in which the barcode reader is assembled. FIG. 4 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining the structure of the contact surface of the case.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the barcode reader 1 forms an exterior with a case bottom 10, a middle case 20, and an upper case 30, and holds a camera module 12 therein. More specifically, an inner case 50 sealed by the case bottom 10 and the middle case 20 is formed, the camera module 12 is held therein, and an upper case 30 as an outer case is mounted on the upper side, A double case is formed.

  Among these, a camera holder 11 is provided on the case bottom 10 and is held by fitting the camera module 12 therein. The camera module 12 includes an optical system such as a lens and a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor, and is an imaging unit that captures an image of an object using the CMOS sensor.

  Further, an FFC (flexible flat cable) 14 is connected to a connection terminal (not shown) on the lower side of the circuit board 13 included in the camera module 12, and the camera module 12 is connected to an external circuit by the FFC 14. Thus, the data of the captured image or the data obtained by analyzing the image can be output. Further, a label 41 is attached to the lower part of the case bottom 10.

  In addition, the case bottom 10 and the middle case 20 are screwed by screws 40 that pass through the square screw holes 15 and 25 (the two screw holes on the front side of the middle case 20 are screw holes inside the protrusion 21. Formed as).

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4 (a), for each of the case bottom 10 and the middle case 20, a heat-resistant ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) resin 72 or the like is formed on the base 71 at the end of the surface in contact with each other. By forming a thin layer of resin having excellent rubber adhesion, it is possible to secure the sealing of the middle case including the lead-out portion of the FFC 14 by screwing. Although enlarged in FIG. 4, the heat-resistant ABS resin 72 has a thickness that is difficult to confirm with the naked eye.

  The material of the base 71 of the case bottom 10 and the middle case 20 is polycarbonate which is a plastic plastic. And after molding the main body using polycarbonate, two-color molding (double mold) that replaces the mold and performs the second molding using the heat-resistant ABS resin makes it easy to adhere to the desired part with good adhesion and heat resistance. An ABS resin 72 can be disposed.

  Further, the middle case 20 includes a camera storage portion 22 for storing a camera holding portion 11 provided on the case bottom 10 and a camera module 12 fixed thereto. The camera storage unit 22 has a through hole 26 on the upper side, and a transparent plastic mask 27 is fitted and fixed thereto by welding or adhesion. Accordingly, the light transmitting portion can be formed in the inner case 50 while ensuring the sealing property of the inner case 50.

On the other hand, the upper case 30 and the middle case 20 are fixed by using the elasticity of the upper case 30 by pushing the upper case 30 from the upper side and fitting the protrusion 23 of the middle case 20 into the fitting hole 31 of the upper case. Is going.
In the state in which the upper case 30 and the middle case 20 are fitted, as can be seen from FIG. 2, the bottom portion of the upper case 30 is in contact with the flange portion 28 on the outer edge of the middle case 20. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the inner side surface of the upper case 30 is in contact with the outer side surface of the camera housing portion 22 of the middle case 20.

  In each of the upper case 30 and the middle case 20, heat-resistant ABS resin 72 is provided on the base material 71 in the same manner as in the case bottom 10 and the middle case 20 at the portions in contact with each other. It is possible to ensure a tight seal between the two. The positional relationship between the fitting hole 31 and the protruding portion 23 is a position where a downward biasing force is generated with respect to the upper case 30 by the protruding portion 23 during fitting. Moreover, about the side surface, the upper case 30 is formed in a size that generates an urging force toward the inside due to elastic deformation of the upper case 30. Accordingly, the upper case 30 is in close contact with the middle case 20 on both the bottom surface and the inner side surface in a state of being fitted with the middle case 20.

However, as shown in FIG. 4B, the heat-resistant ABS resin 72 is not provided in the vicinity of the fitting portion by the fitting hole 31 and the protruding portion 23, and the adhesiveness is low. The upper case 30 also has a base 71 made of polycarbonate. However, since polycarbonate is a resin that produces some irregularities on the surface when molded, even if these are brought into contact with a biased force, they are in contact with each other. The surface can be slightly breathable. Therefore, the upper case 30 and the middle case 20 form a case that has air permeability in the vicinity of the fitting portion but is in close contact with other portions and does not have air permeability.
For this reason, the outer case formed by the upper case 30 (and the middle case 20) is a case having a lower sealing performance than the inner case formed by the middle case and the case bottom 10.

  However, a sheet-like waterproof and moisture-permeable member 33 is provided on the outer side of the fitting portion in the upper case 30 so that waterproofness can be secured even in the fitting portion. That is, while preventing water from entering from the fitting portion to the inside, the fitting portion allows the water vapor to escape to the outside and function as a vent for preventing a change in atmospheric pressure inside the outer case. This waterproof and moisture-permeable member 33 can be formed using, for example, Gore-Tex (registered trademark) manufactured by WL Gore & Associates.

Also in the upper case 30, as in the case of the middle case 20, a transparent plastic mask 32 is fixed to a through hole provided on the upper side by welding or bonding, thereby forming a light-transmitting portion while ensuring hermeticity. ing.
The protrusions 34 provided on both sides of the upper case 30 are screw holes for fixing the barcode reader 1 to an external unit.

  In the barcode reader 1 having the above configuration, as indicated by a symbol L in FIG. 3, the camera module 12 includes a translucent part (plastic mask 27) of the inner case and a translucent part (plastic mask) of the outer case. 32), an image of the reading object can be taken. Then, the image data obtained by the imaging through the FFC 14 is output to an external image processing module (not shown), and the image data is analyzed by the image processing module, whereby the light reflectance attached to the reading object is increased. Information indicated by bar code symbols different from the surroundings can be decoded and the contents can be read. This image processing module may be built in the camera module 12 and the decoding result may be output from the FFC 14 to the outside.

  As is clear from the above description, the barcode reader 1 holds the camera module 12 in a sealed state, and covers an inner case having a light-transmitting portion and at least a portion of the light-transmitting portion of the inner case. And an outer case having a translucent portion and having a lower sealing performance than the inner case. As can be seen from FIG. 3, an air layer 51 is provided between the translucent part of the outer case and the translucent part of the inner case.

  In the barcode reader 1, the air layer 51 is provided outside the inner case that seals the camera module 12 as described above. Therefore, even when the air layer 51 is used in an environment where the temperature and humidity change drastically, It can serve as a buffer so that the inner case is less affected by changes in temperature and humidity.

Next, the effect of the barcode reader 1 will be further described with reference to FIG. 5 together with the configuration of the embodiment of the beverage extraction device of the present invention having the barcode reader 1 shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the beverage extraction apparatus.
The beverage extraction device 100 shown in FIG. 5 is a device that produces beverages such as coffee and tea, and these beverages can be extracted by adding hot water to ground coffee beans and tea leaves.

  More specifically, the beverage extraction device 100 includes a tank 101 and stores water therein. When extracting the beverage, water is drawn from the tank 101 by the pump 102 through a flow path (not shown) and supplied to the heater 103, where the water is heated to hot water and supplied to the cartridge 105 through the flow path 104. To do.

  The cartridge 105 is a unit that can be attached to and detached from the beverage extraction apparatus 100, which stores raw materials of beverages to be extracted, such as ground coffee beans and tea leaves. And a drink can be extracted with the hot water supplied with respect to the cartridge 105, The extracted drink is put into containers, such as the cup 110 placed in the predetermined position from the drink spout 106 which the cartridge 105 has. On the other hand, it is poured.

  Information indicating the type and characteristics of the contents is attached to the lower surface of the cartridge 105 by a bar code symbol 107. The beverage extraction apparatus 100 is provided with the barcode reader 1 shown in FIG. 1 just at the position facing the barcode symbol 107 when the cartridge 105 is mounted.

  Then, the barcode symbol 107 is read by the barcode reader 1, and a control unit (not shown) controls the operation of the pump 102 and the heater 103 according to the information indicated by the barcode symbol 107, and the temperature and supply of hot water used for extraction. Extraction conditions such as speed and quantity are made suitable for the contents of the cartridge 105. In addition to this, or instead of this, based on the information indicated by the barcode symbol 107, the type of beverage to be extracted and the like may be displayed so as to be understood by the user.

By the way, in the beverage extraction apparatus 100, the barcode reader 1 needs to be provided in the vicinity of the cartridge 105 in order to read the barcode symbol 107 accurately. Therefore, at the time of beverage extraction, it is exposed to heat from hot water injected into the cartridge 105, moisture from steam and steam leaking from the cartridge 105, and heat and steam from hot beverage poured out from the beverage outlet 106. Will be.
On the other hand, when the apparatus is not used at the time of beverage extraction, the temperature inside the beverage extraction apparatus 100 decreases. It is inevitable that condensation of air in the case occurs due to this rapid temperature difference (about 80 ° C. to 20 ° C.).

  Therefore, in the barcode reader 1 of the present embodiment, since the outer case is provided, the inner case is not directly exposed to a large amount of steam. Therefore, first, the water vapor hardly enters the inner case, Circuits including the camera unit 12 can be protected from moisture.

In the barcode reader 1, the lower surface of the case bottom 10 that forms the inner case, the side surface of the middle case 20, and the boundary between the case bottom 10 and the middle case 20 are exposed to the outside.
However, since the case base material does not have water permeability, it is unlikely that water vapor enters from a portion other than the boundary, and the boundary portion also has a strong hermeticity at low cost by the heat-resistant ABS resin 72 described above. Obtainable.
The main problem is the joint between the plastic mask 27 for providing the translucent part and the middle case 20. Therefore, as long as at least this portion is covered by the upper case 30, the role as the outer case can be sufficiently achieved.

  Further, since the volume of the barcode reader 1 is increased by providing the outer case, the change in the internal temperature can be reduced by that amount, and the risk of condensation can be reduced in this respect as well. Further, since the outer case is disposed on the side of the cartridge 105 that is a main heat source when viewed from the inner case 50, heat is blocked by the outer case, and heating of the inner case 50 is effectively prevented by the outer case. Can do.

  Further, since the outer case has a lower sealing property than the inner case, it is conceivable that some water vapor enters the inside of the outer case. Furthermore, it is conceivable that condensation occurs inside the outer case. However, due to its low airtightness, the outer case can be ventilated between the internal air layer and the outside air, and even if condensation forms inside, the water droplets will evaporate over time and naturally Condensation is eliminated. And since there is no member which should be especially protected between an outer case and an inner case, temporary dew condensation does not become a problem in particular.

Therefore, in the barcode reader 1, it is said that the most serious problem, dew condensation on the inside of the inner case, cannot be solved by using the inner case having a high sealing property and the outer case having a lower sealing property. The situation can be effectively prevented.
It should be noted that if the outer case is too low in sealing performance, condensation frequently occurs on the inside, which is undesirable, so that only the part where the inner case and the outer case are in contact has air permeability, and the remaining part. Then, heat-resistant ABS resin 72 is used to ensure sealing performance.

However, since this sealing need not be so demanding, the outer case and the inner case need only be fixed by the elasticity and fitting of the case itself, and the number of parts and assembly steps can be reduced to reduce costs. be able to.
In addition, the fitting hole of the fitting part and the part where the case deforms slightly irregularly due to the fitting generally tends to be weak in adhesion, so if this part is used to ensure air permeability, It is possible to reduce wasteful labor such as providing a separate ventilation part after strengthening the adhesion, and to further reduce the cost.

  Moreover, since it is sufficient for the portion having air permeability to be able to discharge water vapor to the outside, it is preferable to provide a waterproof and moisture-permeable member in this portion. In this way, liquid water such as steam can be prevented from entering while maintaining the water vapor permeability, and the frequency of dew condensation inside the outer case can be minimized.

  Further, when the barcode reader 1 is disposed in the beverage extraction device 100, as shown by an arrow A in FIG. 5, a portion having air permeability is replaced with a flow path of hot water or beverage (the flow path 104 in the example of FIG. 5). If it is arranged so as not to face the cartridge 105, the beverage spout 106, and the cup 110), it is possible to prevent water vapor from entering the outer case more than necessary, and in this respect also, dew condensation occurs inside the outer case. The frequency can be minimized.

  For both the inner case and the outer case, the size takes into account the volume of the arrangement position of the barcode reader 1, the focal length of the optical system in the camera unit 12 (appropriate value of the distance between the camera unit 12 and the barcode 107), and the like. What is necessary is just to define a size and there is no restriction | limiting in particular in size.

Although the description of the embodiment has been completed above, the configuration and material of the apparatus, the arrangement of each member, and the like are not limited to those described in the above-described embodiment, and of course can be appropriately changed without departing from the scope of the invention. It is.
The information read by the optical information reader may be not only a bar code but also other code information such as a QR code or information by characters.
Regarding the use of the optical information reading device, although it is particularly suitable for use in the beverage dispensing device, it does not prevent it from being used for other purposes.

  As is apparent from the above description, according to the optical information reader and beverage extractor of the present invention, in the beverage extractor for extracting beverage using hot water, it is attached to the surface of the cartridge storing the beverage ingredients. Can be read inexpensively and with high reliability. Therefore, an inexpensive and highly reliable optical information reading device and beverage dispensing device can be provided.

It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the structure of the barcode reader which is embodiment of the optical information reader of this invention. It is a side view which shows the state which assembled the barcode reader. It is sectional drawing in the 3-3 line of the assembled state. It is a typical expanded sectional view for demonstrating the structure of the contact surface of the case in a barcode reader. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of embodiment of the beverage extraction apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1: Barcode reader, 10: Case bottom, 11: Camera holding part, 12: Camera module, 13: Circuit board, 14: FFC, 15: Screw hole, 20: Medium case, 21: Projection part, 22: Camera storage Part, 23: protrusion, 25: screw hole, 26: through hole, 27: plastic mask, 28: collar part, 30: upper case, 31: fitting hole, 32: plastic mask, 33: waterproof and moisture permeable member, 34 : Projection, 40: Screw, 41: Label, 50: Inner case, 51: Air layer, 71: Base material, 72: Heat-resistant ABS resin, 100: Beverage extraction device, 101: Tank, 102: Pump, 103: Heater, 104: flow path, 105: cartridge, 106: beverage spout, 107: barcode symbol, 110: cup

Claims (6)

An optical information reader that reads information indicated by symbols or characters having different light reflectivity from the surroundings,
Imaging means;
An inner case holding the imaging means in a sealed state and having a translucent portion;
Covering at least a portion of the translucent portion of the inner case, having a translucent portion, and an outer case having a lower sealing performance than the inner case,
The imaging unit is a unit that captures an image of the information attached to an object to be read through a translucent part of the inner case and the outer case,
An optical information reader having an air layer between the translucent part of the outer case and the translucent part of the inner case. The optical information reader according to claim 1,
The outer case is fixed to the inner case,
A part of a portion where the inner case and the outer case are in contact has air permeability to the air layer, and in the remaining portion, the inner case and the outer case are in close contact with each other. Information reader. The optical information reading device according to claim 2,
The outer case is fixed to the inner case by fitting,
For each of the inner case and the outer case, adhesion is ensured by providing a resin in a portion other than the fitting portion among the surfaces in contact with each other, while the fitting portion has air permeability to the air layer. An optical information reader. The optical information reader according to claim 2 or 3,
An optical information reading device, wherein a waterproof and moisture-permeable member is provided at the location having air permeability. A beverage extraction device that pours hot water into a detachable cartridge containing raw materials to extract a beverage and pour it into a beverage container,
The optical information reader according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is provided at a position facing the cartridge,
Information on the contents of the cartridge whose light reflectance is indicated by a symbol or character different from the surroundings on the cartridge is read by the optical information reading device, and the beverage extraction device according to the content of the read information A beverage extractor comprising control means for controlling the operation of the beverage. A beverage extraction device that pours hot water into a detachable cartridge containing raw materials to extract a beverage and pour it into a beverage container,
5. The optical information reading device according to claim 2, wherein a portion having air permeability to the air layer is not opposed to the flow path of the hot water and the beverage at a position facing the cartridge. 6. So that
Information on the contents of the cartridge whose light reflectance is indicated by a symbol or character different from the surroundings on the cartridge is read by the optical information reading device, and the beverage extraction device according to the content of the read information A beverage extractor comprising control means for controlling the operation of the beverage.

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