JP2021082109A - Reader device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a reader device capable of easily holding mobile terminals of different sizes without affecting reading of information from an RFID tag.SOLUTION: A reader device provided herein comprises: a main body 2; a reading unit 3 abutting the main body 2 on one side thereof and having therein an antenna 11 for reading information from RFID tags; and holding rubbers 4a, 4b attached on one surface of the main body 2 and configured to hold a mobile terminal on the one surface. The holding rubbers 4a, 4b consist of stretchable elastic members configured to hold a mobile terminal at a position not facing the reading unit 3 by resilience from the stretched state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a reader device that reads information from an RFID tag, and more particularly to a reader device configured to be able to hold a mobile terminal.

Conventionally, in a distribution system or a product management system, in order to improve the efficiency, a mechanism of assigning an individual code to an article or a product and managing the article or the product using this code has been put into practical use. As such a mechanism, for example, an individual code is assigned to each article or product to be managed and associated with each other, and an RFID tag on which the code is written is attached to the article or product to perform RFID. There is a mechanism to manage goods and goods by reading the code written on the tag with a dedicated reader device.

On the other hand, in recent years, with the rapid spread of smartphones, it is considered to use smartphones for various purposes. Therefore, it is conceivable to add the function of the reader device to the smartphone by connecting the reader device that reads the code given to the article or the product to the smartphone as described above. However, in that case, it takes time and effort to connect the reader device to the smartphone, and the reader device and the smartphone are held and operated at the same time, which causes trouble.

Here, there are two types of cover sets that can be fitted with a mobile information terminal such as a smartphone and a peripheral device such as a barcode reader connected to the mobile information terminal, and can be fitted with mobile information terminals of different sizes. A cover set having a cover is disclosed in Patent Document 1. By using this cover set, even two types of portable information terminals having different sizes can be used integrally with peripheral devices.

In addition, in the case of integrally holding a mobile device such as a smartphone and a peripheral device such as an RFID tag reader, by preparing some cases in which four bands for holding the mobile device are fixed with screws. Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which a plurality of types of mobile devices can be used integrally with peripheral devices.

Japanese Patent No. 5996062 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-96128

However, the one disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem that a cover suitable for the size of a portable information terminal must be prepared, and the versatility is poor. In particular, in recent years, mobile information terminals having more than two types of sizes have become widespread, and if there is no cover suitable for the size of the mobile information terminal, the mobile information terminal is used. You will not be able to.

Further, in the case disclosed in Patent Document 2, since the mobile device is held by the band fixed to the case with screws, the positional relationship between the case and the mobile device is fixed. Here, when a reader device that reads information from an RFID tag is used as a peripheral device, it can be read if the antenna for reading information from the RFID tag in the reader device faces a conductor such as metal. The distance will be shortened, which will have an adverse effect on operation. Therefore, if the positional relationship between the case and the mobile device is fixed as disclosed in Patent Document 2, the antenna of the reader device faces the mobile device depending on the size of the mobile device. , There is a problem that the readable distance becomes short. Further, since the mobile device is held by the four bands fixed to the case with screws, there is a problem that it takes time and effort to hold the mobile device.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art as described above, and does not affect the reading of information from the RFID tag, and does not require time and effort to use mobile terminals of different sizes. It is an object of the present invention to provide a reader device that can be held in a device.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention
A reader device that reads information from RFID tags.
Plate-shaped body and
A reading unit that is connected to one end of the main body and has a built-in antenna for reading information from the RFID tag.
It has a holding member that is attached to one surface of the main body and holds the mobile terminal on the one surface.
The holding member is made of an elastic member that can be expanded and contracted, and holds the mobile terminal at a position that does not face the reading unit by a restoring force from the extended state.

In the present invention configured as described above, the main body portion has a plate-shaped main body portion and a reading unit which is connected to one end side of the main body portion and has a built-in antenna for reading information from the RFID tag. The holding member attached to one surface is made of a stretchable elastic member, and the mobile terminal is held on one surface of the main body by the restoring force from the stretched state, so that mobile terminals of different sizes are troublesome. It will be held without applying. Further, since the holding member holds the mobile terminal at a position not facing the reading unit, the reading of information from the RFID tag is not affected.

In the above configuration, the holding member is fixed to the main body portion by the first fixing portion, extends from the first fixing portion toward the reading portion side in the connecting direction between the main body portion and the reading portion, and the main body portion. It is fixed to the main body by a first elastic member that holds the end side of the mobile terminal mounted on one surface on the reading portion side and a second fixing portion, and the main body is fixed from the second fixing portion. A second elastic member that extends in the direction opposite to the reading portion in the connecting direction between the portion and the reading portion and holds an end side opposite to the reading portion of the mobile terminal mounted on one surface of the main body portion. It is considered that the second elastic member is more easily stretched than the first elastic member.

In such a configuration, the mobile terminal is placed on one surface of the main body, the end side of the mobile terminal on the reading unit side is held by the first elastic member, and the reading unit of the mobile terminal is In a state where the opposite end is held by the second elastic member, the second elastic member is more easily stretched than the first elastic member, so that a large-sized mobile terminal is held by the holding member. Even when it is held, the second elastic member is greatly stretched, and the mobile terminal is held so as to protrude to the side opposite to the reading portion of the main body portion, so that the mobile terminal does not face the reading portion. ..

Further, in the case of a mobile terminal having a displacement preventing member held on one surface of the main body by the holding member to prevent the mobile terminal from shifting toward the reading unit, the holding member is held on one surface of the main body. Even if the mobile terminal is about to shift to the reading unit due to vibration or external force, the mobile terminal is maintained in a position not facing the reading unit, which affects the reading of information from the RFID tag. There is no such thing.

According to the present invention, in a configuration having a plate-shaped main body and a reading unit which is connected to one end of the main body and has a built-in antenna for reading information from an RFID tag, it is attached to one surface of the main body. The holding member is made of an elastic member that can be expanded and contracted, and holds the mobile terminal at a position that does not face the reading unit due to the restoring force from the stretched state. It is possible to hold mobile terminals with different characteristics without any hassle.

Further, in the case of a mobile terminal having a displacement preventing member held on one surface of the main body by the holding member to prevent the mobile terminal from shifting toward the reading unit, the holding member is held on one surface of the main body. Even if the mobile terminal is about to shift to the reading unit due to vibration or external force, the mobile terminal is maintained in a position that does not face the reading unit, which affects the reading of information from the RFID tag. You can avoid getting stuck.

It is a figure which shows one Embodiment of the leader device of this invention, (a) is a front view, (b) is a view seen from the direction of arrow A shown in (a), (c) is shown in (a). It is a figure seen from the direction of arrow B. It is a figure which shows the state which the mounting plate was removed from the leader device shown in FIG. 1, (a) is a front view, (b) is a view seen from the direction of arrow A shown in (a), (c) is a view. It is a figure seen from the arrow B direction shown in (a). It is a functional block diagram which shows the internal structure of the reader apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which a smartphone, which is a mobile terminal, is attached to the reader device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in which (a) is a surface view and (b) is viewed from the direction of arrow A shown in (a). It is a figure. It is a functional block diagram for demonstrating the operation when a smartphone is attached to a reader device as shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows another example of the state which attached the smartphone which is a mobile terminal to the reader device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, (a) is a surface view, (b) is the direction of arrow A shown in (a). It is a figure seen from.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1A and 1B are views showing an embodiment of the leader device of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a front view, FIG. 1B is a view seen from the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. It is a figure seen from the direction of arrow B shown in a). 2A and 2B are views showing a state in which the mounting plate 5 is removed from the leader device 1 shown in FIG. 1, in which FIG. 2A is a front view and FIG. 2B is viewed from the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. FIG. 3C is a view seen from the direction of arrow B shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing an internal configuration of the reader device 1 shown in FIG.

In the reader device of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, holding rubbers 4a and 4b and a mounting plate 5 are installed on one surface of a plate-shaped housing 10, and the main body 2 and the reading 3 are connected to each other. It has a configured shape. As a result, the reading unit 3 is connected to one end side of the plate-shaped main body unit 2.

The housing 10 contains the antenna 11, the communication unit 14, the power supply unit 15, the storage unit 16, and the control unit 17 shown in FIG.

The antenna 11 is for reading information from the RFID tag at a frequency in the UHF band, and is built in the reading unit 3 of the housing 10.

The communication unit 14 performs wireless communication by BLE with the mobile terminal mounted on the mounting plate 5, and wirelessly transmits the information read from the RFID tag via the antenna 11 to the mobile terminal. Therefore, it is built in the main body 2 of the housing 10.

The power supply unit 15 supplies power to the entire reader device 1, is built in the main body unit 2 of the housing 10, and can be charged via a connection terminal (not shown) exposed to the outside. It has become.

The storage unit 16 stores the information read from the RFID tag via the antenna 11.

On the side surface of the housing 10, a power button 13a and an RF button 13b that function as an operation unit 13 are provided on a portion that becomes the main body unit 2. The power button 13a is pressed when switching the power ON / OFF of the reader device 1. The RF button 13b is pressed when reading information from the RFID tag, and when the RF button 13b is pressed, radio waves having a frequency in the UHF band are radiated from the antenna 11.

On the surface of the housing 10 on which the holding rubbers 4a and 4b and the mounting plate 5 are installed, a power lamp 12a and an RF lamp 12b that function as a display unit 12 are provided in a portion that serves as a reading unit 3. The power lamp 12a is composed of LEDs and turns on when the power of the leader device 1 is turned on by pressing the power button 13a, and turns off when the power of the leader device 1 is turned off. The RF lamp 12b is composed of LEDs and lights up when a radio wave having a frequency in the UHF band is radiated from the antenna 11 by pressing the RF button 13b.

The control unit 17 controls the operation of the entire leader device 1, and controls the operation of the leader device 1 in response to the operation of the power button 13a and the RF button 13b, which are the operation units 13, and sets the operating state thereof. Based on this, the lighting / extinguishing of the power lamp 12a and the RF lamp 12b, which are the display units 12, is controlled. Further, the control unit 17 controls wireless transmission of information by the communication unit 14 to the mobile terminal mounted on the mounting plate 5.

The holding rubbers 4a and 4b constitute the holding member of the present invention, and the holding rubber 4a is provided on one surface of the housing 10 in the main body 2 in the direction in which the main body 2 and the reading 3 are connected. They are arranged side by side on the reading unit 3 side.

The holding rubber 4a is the first elastic member in the present invention, is made of a sheet-shaped silicon material, and is stretchable. As shown in FIG. 2, the holding rubber 4a has a base portion 7a attached to the main body portion 2 of one surface of the housing 10 by two fixing portions 6a, and is branched into four from the base portion 7a on the reading portion 3 side. The end portion on the side opposite to the base portion 7a is composed of a leg portion 8a folded back on the side opposite to the housing 10 and an arch-shaped end portion 9a connecting the four folded leg portions 8a. ing.

The holding rubber 4b is the second elastic member in the present invention, is made of a sheet-shaped silicon material, and is stretchable. As shown in FIG. 2, the holding rubber 4b has a base portion 7b attached to the main body portion 2 on one surface of the housing 10 by two fixing portions 6b, and a reading portion 3 branched from the base portion 7b into four parts. A leg portion 8b extending to the opposite side and having an end opposite to the base portion 7b folded back to the side opposite to the housing 10, and an arched end portion 9b connecting the four folded legs 8b. It is composed of.

In the holding rubbers 4a and 4b configured as described above, the length of the legs 8b of the holding rubber 4b is longer than the length of the legs 8a of the holding rubber 4a, so that the holding rubber 4b is larger than the holding rubber 4a. It is easy to stretch.

The mounting plate 5 is installed on the main body 2 of one surface of the housing 10 so as to cover a part of the legs 8a and 8b of the holding rubbers 4a and 4b and the bases 7a and 7b, and is screwed (not shown). It is fixed to the housing 10 by a fixing means such as. As a result, a part of the legs 8a and 8b of the holding rubbers 4a and 4b and the bases 7a and 7b are sandwiched between one surface of the housing 10 and the mounting plate 5. The mounting plate 5 has a structure in which a part thereof extends to a connecting portion of the main body 2 with the reading portion 3 and the end portion rises in an L shape to have a blocking plate 5a serving as a slip prevention member. There is.

The method of using the reader device 1 configured as described above and the operation at that time will be described below.

4A and 4B are views showing an example of a state in which a smartphone, which is a mobile terminal, is attached to the reader device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, where FIG. 4A is a surface view and FIG. 4B is shown in FIG. It is a figure seen from the direction of arrow A. FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram for explaining the operation when the smartphone 20 is attached to the reader device 1 as shown in FIG.

When a smartphone is attached to the reader device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and used, as shown in FIG. 4, the longitudinal direction of the smartphone 100 is the connecting direction between the main body 2 and the reading unit 3. The legs 8a of the holding rubber 4a are hooked on the end side of the smartphone 100 on the reading unit 3 side and the portion adjacent to the end side of the smartphone 100 on the reading plate 5 side, and the side opposite to the reading unit 3 of the smartphone 100. The leg portion 8b of the holding rubber 4b is hooked on the end side and the portion adjacent thereto. Then, since the holding rubbers 4a and 4b are made of a stretchable silicon material, the holding rubbers 4a and 4b are stretched according to the size of the smartphone 100, and the restoring force from the stretched state causes the smartphone 100 to expand in the plane direction. Movement will be restricted. Further, the vertical movement of the smartphone 100 with respect to the surface is also regulated by the restoring force of the holding rubbers 4a and 4b from the stretched state, but it is a part of the legs 8a and 8b of the holding rubbers 4a and 4b. Since the bases 7a and 7b are sandwiched between one surface of the housing 10 and the mounting plate 5, the smartphone 100 is maintained in close contact with the surface of the mounting plate 5. It will be.

In the state where the smartphone 100 is held by the holding rubbers 4a and 4b in this way, the holding rubbers 4a and 4b are arranged on the main body 2 of one surface of the housing 10, so that the smartphone 100 shown in FIG. 4 When the length in the longitudinal direction does not differ significantly with respect to the distance between the holding rubbers 4a and 4b, the smartphone 100 faces only the main body 2 of the reader device 1 and does not face the reading unit 3. It becomes.

As shown in FIG. 5, the smartphone 100 includes a communication unit 21, a network communication unit 22, a call unit 23, a display unit 24, an operation unit 25, a power supply unit 26, a storage unit 27, and a control unit 28. A configuration having and is conceivable.

The communication unit 21 performs wireless communication by BLE with the communication unit 14 of the reader device 1, and wirelessly receives the information transmitted from the reader device 1.

The network communication unit 22 is composed of a communication module including an antenna, connects to a communication line via an access point, and communicates with another terminal or a server.

The telephone unit 23 is composed of a speaker (not shown), a microphone (not shown), and the like, and inputs and outputs voice.

The display unit 24 is composed of a display 24a made of a liquid crystal provided on the surface of the smartphone 100, and includes information by an application program, information received via the communication unit 21, and an information screen received via the network communication unit 22. Etc. are displayed.

The operation unit 25 is arranged so as to be overlapped on the display unit 24, and detects an operation due to contact by a user by using, for example, an electrostatic contact method.

The power supply unit 26 supplies power to the entire smartphone 100, and can be charged via a connection terminal (not shown) exposed to the outside.

The storage unit 27 stores information input via the operation unit 25, information received via the communication unit 21, information received via the network communication unit 22, and the like.

The control unit 28 controls the operation of the entire smartphone 100, controls the operation of the smartphone 100 in response to an operation on the operation unit 25, displays information on the display unit 24, and communicates with the communication unit 21 and the network. It controls the transmission and reception of information in the unit 22.

When reading information from the RFID tag by the reader device 1 while the smartphone 100 is attached to the reader device 1 as shown in FIG. 4, the power of the reader device 1 is turned on by pressing the power button 13a of the reader device 1. When the reading unit 3 is held over the RFID tag while pressing the RF button 13b in this state, radio waves having a frequency in the UHF band are emitted from the antenna 11. At that time, the power lamp 12a is turned on when the power of the reader device 1 is turned on, and the RF lamp 12b is turned on when the radio wave of the frequency of the UHF band is radiated from the antenna 11. As described above, since the smartphone 100 is in a state of facing only the main body 2 of the reader device 1 and not facing the reading unit 3, the lighting of the power lamp 12a and the RF lamp 12b obstructs the smartphone 100. It will not be invisible.

The radio wave radiated from the antenna 11 is received by the RFID tag held by the reading unit 3, and the information written in the RFID tag is read by the reader device 1 via the antenna 11. At this time, as described above, since the smartphone 100 is in a state of facing only the main body 2 of the reader device 1 and not facing the reading unit 3, the reader device 1 is affected by the parts and the like constituting the smartphone 100. The readable distance in is not shortened.

The information read from the RFID tag via the antenna 11 is stored in the storage unit 16 and transmitted to the smartphone 100 via the communication unit 14.

The information transmitted from the communication unit 14 of the reader device 1 is received by the smartphone 100 via the communication unit 21. In the smartphone 100, the information received via the communication unit 21 is displayed on the display unit 24 or transmitted via the network communication unit 22.

6A and 6B are views showing another example of a state in which a smartphone, which is a mobile terminal, is attached to the reader device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in which FIG. 6A is a surface view and FIG. 6B is shown in FIG. It is a figure seen from the direction of the arrow A shown.

The reader device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 can be equipped with mobile terminals having different sizes. As shown in FIG. 6, when a smartphone 200, which is larger than the smartphone 100 shown in FIG. 4 and whose length in the longitudinal direction is significantly different from the distance between the holding rubbers 4a and 4b, is attached to the reader device 1, its length is long. Since the lengths in the directions differ greatly with respect to the distance between the holding rubbers 4a and 4b, a part of the reading unit 3 side of the smartphone 200 mounted on the mounting plate 5 is the reading unit 3 when considered simply. Will face each other.

However, in the leader device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, as described above, the length of the leg portion 8b of the holding rubber 4b is longer than the length of the leg portion 8a of the holding rubber 4a, so that the holding rubber 4b However, since it is easier to stretch than the holding rubber 4a, when the smartphone 200 whose length in the longitudinal direction is significantly different from the distance between the holding rubbers 4a and 4b is held by the holding rubbers 4a and 4b, it is held. The rubber 4b is greatly stretched, and the smartphone 200 is held so as to protrude to the side opposite to the reading unit 3 of the main body 2, so that the smartphone 200 does not face the reading unit 3.

Further, the mounting plate 5 has a structure in which a part thereof extends to the connecting portion of the main body portion 2 with the reading portion 3 and the end portion rises in an L shape to have the blocking plate 5a. Even if the smartphone 200 held on one surface of the main body 2 by the holding rubbers 4a and 4b is about to shift to the reading unit 3 side due to vibration, external force, etc., the end edge of the smartphone 200 hits the blocking plate 5a. By contacting the smartphone 200, the smartphone 200 is prevented from being displaced toward the reading unit 3, and the smartphone 200 is held in a position not facing the reading unit 3, which affects the reading of information from the RFID tag. You can avoid that.

As described above, in the leader device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the holding rubbers 4a and 4b attached to one surface of the main body 2 are made of a stretchable material and are subjected to the restoring force from the stretched state. Since the smartphones 100 and 200 are held on one surface of the main body 2, even if the smartphones 100 and 200 have different sizes, it is troublesome to simply hook the holding rubbers 4a and 4b on a part of the smartphones 100 and 200. Can be held without applying. Further, since the holding rubbers 4a and 4b hold the smartphones 100 and 200 at positions not facing the reading unit 3, the reading of information from the RFID tag is not affected.

In this embodiment, since the length of the leg portion 8b of the holding rubber 4b is longer than the length of the leg portion 8a of the holding rubber 4a, the holding rubber 4b is more easily stretched than the holding rubber 4a. In order to make the holding rubber 4b more easily stretchable than the holding rubber 4a, the length of the legs 8b of the holding rubber 4b is not limited to be longer than the length of the legs 8a of the holding rubber 4a, and the legs 8a By making the thickness and the number of the holding rubbers 4a and 8b different, and making the materials and thicknesses of the holding rubbers 4a and 4b different, the holding rubber 4b may be stretched more easily than the holding rubber 4a.

Further, in the present embodiment, two holding rubbers 4a and 4b are provided as holding members, and the holding rubber 4b is easier to stretch than the holding rubber 4a, so that the smartphone 100 mounted on the mounting plate 5 , 200 is held at a position not facing the reading unit 3 as an example. However, by using one elastic member as the holding member and partially differentiating the shape and material of the elastic member, It is also conceivable that the smartphones 100 and 200 mounted on the mounting plate 5 are held at positions not facing the reading unit 3.

Further, in the present embodiment, the case of reading the information written on the RFID tag with the smartphones 100 and 200 attached to the reader device 1 has been described, but the reader device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is the smartphone 100. The information written on the RFID tag can be read even when the, 200 is not attached.

1 Leader device 2 Main body 3 Reading part 4a, 4b Holding rubber 5 Mounting plate 5a Blocking plate 6a, 6b Fixed part 7a, 7b Base part 8a, 8b Leg part 9a, 9b End part 10 Housing 11 Antenna 12 Display part 12a Power supply Lamp 12b RF lamp 13 Operation unit 13a Power button 13b RF button 14, 21 Communication unit 15, 26 Power supply unit 16, 27 Storage unit 17, 28 Control unit 22 Network communication unit 23 Call unit 24 Display unit 24a Display 25 Operation unit 100, 200 smartphone

Claims (3)

A reader device that reads information from RFID tags.
Plate-shaped body and
A reading unit that is connected to one end of the main body and has a built-in antenna for reading information from the RFID tag.
It has a holding member that is attached to one surface of the main body and holds the mobile terminal on the one surface.
The holding member is a reader device made of an elastic member that can be expanded and contracted, and holds the mobile terminal at a position that does not face the reading unit by a restoring force from an extended state. In the reader device according to claim 1,
The holding member is
It is fixed to the main body portion by the first fixing portion, extends from the first fixing portion toward the reading portion side in the connecting direction between the main body portion and the reading portion, and is placed on one surface of the main body portion. A first elastic member that holds the end side of the placed mobile terminal on the reading unit side, and
It is fixed to the main body portion by the second fixing portion, extends from the second fixing portion to the side opposite to the reading portion in the connecting direction between the main body portion and the reading portion, and one surface of the main body portion. It has a second elastic member that holds an end side opposite to the reading portion of the mobile terminal mounted on the mobile terminal.
A leader device in which the second elastic member is more easily stretched than the first elastic member. In the reader device according to claim 1 or 2.
A reader device having a displacement preventing member for preventing a displacement of a mobile terminal held on one surface of the main body by the holding member toward the reading unit.

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