JP3614296B2 - Optical reader - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical reader. More specifically, the present invention relates to a structure of an optically transparent body that faces an object for image reading.
[0002]
[Prior art]
There is an optical reader that reads an image of a subject by irradiating the subject with a light beam and capturing the reflected light. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the optical reading apparatus 100 includes, for example, a large number of LEDs 103 that irradiate a subject 102 with light rays via an optical transparent body 109 made of sapphire glass, and the subject via an optical transparent body 109. A lens group 104 that captures an image 102 and an image sensor 105 are incorporated.
[0003]
When the optical reader 100 reads an image of a subject 102 such as a coin, the subject 102 is placed on the optical transparent body 109 or provided at a position close to the optical transparent body 109 to cause the LED 103 to emit light. The light beam from the LED 103 passes through the opening 110 of the main body portion 108, passes through the optical transparent body 109, and irradiates and reflects the subject 102. The reflected light passes through the optical transparent body 109, passes through the opening 110, enters the lens group 104, and forms an image on the image sensor 105. As a result, the image of the subject 102 is captured by the image sensor 105 and converted into an electrical signal.
[0004]
Incidentally, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the optical transparent body 109 has a rectangular shape extending from one end portion to the other end portion of the optical reading apparatus 100, covers the opening 110 of the main body portion 108, and the subject 102 has the object 102. A sliding passage is formed. For this reason, the subject 102 slides with respect to the front side surface of the optical transparent body 109 and reads the image while passing through the upper portion of the opening 110.
[0005]
Here, in order to prevent sand or dust from adhering to the subject 102 and scratching the optical transparent body 109 during sliding, the optical transparent body 109 is made of, for example, sapphire glass. It is made of a material having high hardness. For this reason, generation | occurrence | production of the damage | wound in the optical transparent body 109 can be suppressed.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the optical reader 100 described above, the optical transparent body 109 is a large rectangular shape that extends from one end to the other end of the optical reader 100 and is made of expensive sapphire glass. The body 109 becomes very expensive. For this reason, the optical reader 100 becomes expensive.
[0007]
Further, since the optically transparent body 109 has a rectangular shape, stress tends to concentrate on the corners, and it is difficult to increase the strength. For this reason, for example, when the subject 102 falls on the peripheral edge or corner of the optical transparent body 109, the optical transparent body 109 is more likely to crack compared to the case where it falls to the center. If a crack is formed at the peripheral edge or corner of the optical transparent body 109, the crack will enter the center due to the nature of the glass, and the reading accuracy of the subject 102 will be reduced.
[0008]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an optical reader capable of improving strength while reducing the cost of an optical transparent body.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve such an object, the invention according to claim 1 covers the opening provided in the main body with an optical transparent body, and forms a passage through which a subject to be image-read passes outside the optical transparent body. In an optical reader comprising an irradiating means for irradiating an object inside an optically transparent body and an optical reading means for capturing an image of the object via the optically transparent body, an opening is formed in a circular shape and optically The transparent member is formed in a circular shape having a diameter larger than that of the opening, and a passage member having an outer shape along the peripheral surface of the optical transparent member is arranged before and after the optical transparent member in the passing direction of the subject. .
[0010]
Therefore, since the optically transparent body has a circular shape having a diameter larger than that of the circular opening, the required minimum area can be obtained. For this reason, the cost of an optical transparent body can be reduced compared with the conventional rectangular optical transparent body. In addition, since the optical transparent body is circular, there is no portion that causes stress concentration. For this reason, since the intensity | strength of an optical transparent body can be improved, even if a to-be-photographed object falls to an optical transparent body, it can suppress that an optical transparent body cracks. Further, since the passage of the subject is formed by a separate member of the optical transparent body and the passage member, the subject falls on the passage member.EvenCracks on optically transparent bodyOccurThere is nothing.
In the optical reading device according to claim 1, the passage member is made of a nonmagnetic metal, and the optical reading means has a lens for taking in light incident through an optical transparent body and an imaging device. To be. Therefore, even if the subject is a magnetic material with magnetism, the passage member is not charged and magnetized by sliding on the passage member, so that dust such as metal powder stays attached to the passage member with magnetic force. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the object from being caught between the object and the optical transparent body. An image of a subject is formed on an image sensor by a lens and is converted into an electric signal by the image sensor, and is taken into an optical reader.
[0011]
In the optical reader according to claim 2, the optical transparent body is made of sapphire glass.TheTherefore, since both the optically transparent body and the passage member can have high hardness, it is possible to improve the wear resistance and scratch resistance against sliding of the subject. In addition, since both the optically transparent body and the passage member can have high strength, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of breakage and scratches due to the dropping of the subject.
[0013]
In addition, billingItem 3In the mounted optical reader, the irradiation means is arranged in a circular shape so as to surround the opening, and the opening is irradiated obliquely from the outer peripheral side. Accordingly, since the irradiating means is arranged in a circular shape around the opening, the subject can be irradiated evenly over the entire circumference. For this reason, since the contrast of the image read by the optical reading means can be made uniform, the image reading accuracy can be improved.
[0014]
Also billedItem 4In the optical reading apparatus described above, the edge portions of the optical transparent body and the passage member in the passing direction of the subject are tapered surfaces. Therefore, when the subject slides with respect to the optical transparent body and the passage member, it is possible to prevent the subject from being caught by the edges of the optical transparent body and the passage member. For this reason, the subject can be smoothly slid.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the configuration of the present invention will be described in detail based on an example of an embodiment shown in the drawings. 1 to 12 show an embodiment of the optical reader 1 of the present invention. In the optical reading device 1, an opening 50 provided in the main body 15 is covered with an optical transparent body 2, and a passage 32 through which a subject 13 to be image-read passes is formed outside the optical transparent body 2 and optically. The illuminating means 33 for irradiating the subject 13 inside the target transparent body 2 and the optical reading means 4 for capturing the image of the subject 13 via the optical transparent body 2 are provided. In the present embodiment, the optical reading device 1 reads a coin pattern as the subject 13 and uses it for determination of the type and authenticity of the coin. However, it goes without saying that the use of the optical reader 1 is not limited to coin reading.
[0016]
In the optical reader 1, the opening 50 is formed in a circular shape as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, and the optical transparent body 2 is formed in a circular shape having a larger diameter than the opening 50. This optically transparent body 2 is supported by a guide member 14 that is supported by the main body frame 3 and forms a part of the main body portion 15 so as to be positioned at the center of the upper part of the optical reader 1. An annular field mask 54 is provided at the center of the guide member 14, and a circular opening 50 is formed by the inner edge of the field mask 54. For this reason, since the optical transparent body 2 has a circular shape, the optical transparent body 2 can have a necessary minimum area, and the optical transparent body 2 can be compared with the conventional rectangular optical transparent body 109. The cost can be reduced. Therefore, cost reduction of the optical reader 1 can be achieved. Moreover, since the optical transparent body 2 is circular, there is no portion that causes stress concentration. For this reason, since the intensity | strength of the optical transparent body 2 can be improved, even if the to-be-photographed object 13 falls to the optical transparent body 2, it can suppress that the optical transparent body 2 cracks. Therefore, the reading accuracy of the image is not deteriorated due to the crack of the optical transparent body 2, and it is not necessary to replace the optical transparent body 2.
[0017]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, passage members 34 and 34 having an outer shape along the circumferential surface of the optical transparent body 2 are arranged before and after the optical transparent body 2 in the passing direction D of the subject 13. Yes. Each passage member 34 is plate-shaped and has an arcuate recess 34 a that matches the outer edge of the optical transparent body 2. The passage member 34 is supported by the guide member 14 in a state where the concave portion 34 a is aligned with the peripheral surface of the optical transparent body 2. A path 32 of the subject 13 is formed by the optical transparent body 2 and the path members 34 and 34. For this reason, since the passage 32 is formed by a separate member of the optical transparent body 2 and the passage members 34 and 34, even if the subject 13 falls on the passage member 34 and the passage member 34 is cracked, the optical passage is formed optically. There is no propagation of cracks to the transparent body 2. Therefore, the reading accuracy of the image is not deteriorated due to the crack of the optical transparent body 2, and it is not necessary to replace the optical transparent body 2.
[0018]
The optical transparent body 2 is made of sapphire glass. For this reason, since the optical transparent body 2 can be made to have a high hardness, even if the object 13, which is a metal coin, is slid on the optical transparent body 2, the optical transparent body 2 is not worn or scratched. Can be suppressed. In addition, since the optical transparent body 2 can have high strength, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of breakage and scratches due to the dropping of the subject 13. Furthermore, since the optical transparent body 2 is a circular sapphire glass plate, and the same optical transparent body 2 is also used in a technical field such as a watch, techniques and equipment for mass production are widespread. Therefore, the optical transparent body 2 can be manufactured at a low cost.
[0019]
The material of the passage member 34 isNon-magneticIt is made of metal. For this reason, since the passage member 34 can be made to have high hardness, even if the subject 13, which is a metal coin, is slid on the passage member 34, it is possible to suppress wear and scratches on the passage member 34. In addition, since the strength of the passage member 34 can be increased, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of breakage and scratches due to dropping of the subject 13. Moreover, it is possible to prevent the passage member 34 from becoming lower than the optical transparent body 2 by repeatedly sliding the subject 13 in the passage 32.
[0020]
In this embodiment, the passage member 34 is made of SUS304, that is, made of nonmagnetic stainless steel subjected to surface hardening treatment. Here, since SUS304 is non-magnetic, for example, even if the subject 13 is a magnetic material having magnetism, the passage member 34 is not charged and magnetized by sliding on the passage member 34. Therefore, since metal dust attached to the subject 13 or metal powder generated by friction between the subject 13 and the passage member 34 does not adhere to the passage member 34 due to magnetic force and stays there, such metal Powder or the like can be prevented from being caught between the subject 13 and the optical transparent body 2.
[0021]
Further, in the present embodiment, the surface of the passage member 34 that contacts the subject 13 is subjected to a surface hardening process. The method of the surface hardening treatment is not particularly limited, but an existing or new method such as a nitriding treatment or a carbonizing treatment can be employed. For this reason, the wear resistance and scratch resistance of the passage member 34 with respect to the subject 13 can be further improved.
[0022]
In the present embodiment, the surface hardening process is performed on the passage member 34, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the surface hardening process may not be performed. In the present embodiment, the passage member 34 is made of SUS304, but is not limited thereto, and may be made of a super hard material such as an SK material.. NoEven in the case of deviation, the passage member 34 can be made to have high hardness to suppress the wear and damage of the passage member 34, and the passage member 34 can be made to have high strength to prevent the occurrence of breakage and damage.
[0023]
further, ThroughSince the path 32 is formed of a separate member of the optical transparent body 2 and the passage members 34, 34, it is possible to prevent the crack from propagating to the optical transparent body 2 even if the passage member 34 is cracked..
[0024]
Further, tapered surfaces 2a and 34b are formed at the end edges of the optical transparent body 2 and the passage members 34 and 34 in the passing direction D of the subject 13, respectively. Specifically, the entire peripheral edge on the surface side of the optical transparent body 2 is chamfered to form the tapered surface 2a. Further, the recess 34a of the passage member 34 and the surface side of the edge facing the recess 34a are chamfered to form a tapered surface 34b. For this reason, when the subject 13 slides in the passage 32, it is possible to prevent the subject 13 from being caught by the edges of the optical transparent body 2 and the passage members 34, 34. For this reason, since the subject 13 can be smoothly slid, it is possible to prevent the subject 13 from being clogged.
[0025]
On the other hand, an antireflection film 48 for preventing reflection of light rays having a wavelength different from that of the irradiation light of the irradiation means 33 is provided on the surface opposite to the surface facing the subject 13 of the optical transparent body 2. In the present embodiment, an LED is used as the irradiation means 33. However, as a matter of course, the irradiation means 33 is not limited to the LED. Here, the inventors of the present application have found that there is a case where the antireflection can be effectively performed by making the peak wavelength of the antireflection film 48 different from the wavelength of the irradiation means 33. In this embodiment, since the antireflection film 48 has a peak wavelength different from the peak wavelength of the irradiation light of the irradiation means 33, the irradiation light generated by the irradiation means 33 is generated by the optical reader 1. It is possible to suppress internal reflection inside. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of ghost and flare in the image read by the optical reading unit 4. For this reason, the accuracy of discrimination of the read image can be improved.
[0026]
Moreover, in this embodiment, the irradiation means 33 shall have a peak wavelength of about 950 nm by using LED which emits an infrared ray. Further, the antireflection film 48 applied to the inner side surface of the optical transparent body 2 is formed by coating the optical transparent body 2 with magnesium fluoride. In this embodiment, the antireflection film 48 is formed by coating with magnesium fluoride. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an existing or new material used as an antireflection film can be used.
[0027]
Further, the peak wavelength of the antireflection film 48 can be adjusted by the size of the film thickness. In the present embodiment, the thickness of the antireflection film 48 is set such that the antireflection film 48 has a peak wavelength of about 600 nm. For this reason, the internal reflection in the optical reader 1 can be suppressed by setting the peak wavelengths of the irradiation means 33 and the antireflection film 48. In this embodiment, the peak wavelength of the irradiation means 33 is about 950 nm and the peak wavelength of the antireflection film 48 is about 600 nm. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the wavelengths of the irradiation means 33 and the antireflection film 48 are different. Just do it. That is, by making the peak wavelengths of the irradiation unit 33 and the antireflection film 48 different, it is possible to suppress internal reflection in the optical reader 1. In the present embodiment, the peak wavelength of the antireflection film 48 is different from the wavelength of the irradiation means 33. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the lengths of the respective wavelengths may be made equal. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the antireflection film 48 is provided on the optical transparent body 2, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the antireflection film 48 may not be provided.
[0028]
The irradiation unit 33 is supported by the main body frame 3 of the optical reading device 1 via the LED substrate 49. A plurality of irradiation means 33 are arranged in a circular shape so as to surround the opening 50 of the optical transparent body 2, that is, the field frame. An annular prism 51 that covers the upper side of the irradiation means 33 is attached to the LED substrate 49. The prism 51 transmits and reflects the light from the irradiation means 33 irradiated upward so as to irradiate the opening 50 obliquely from the outer peripheral side. For this reason, since the circular opening 50 is irradiated by the irradiation means 33 arranged in a circle around the circular opening 50, the subject 13 can be irradiated uniformly over the entire circumference. For this reason, since the contrast of the image read by the optical reading means 4 can be made uniform, the image reading accuracy can be improved.
[0029]
Further, the light beam emitted from the prism 51 passes through the diffusion plate 55 and irradiates the optical transparent body 2. For this reason, the optical transparent body 2 can be irradiated uniformly. Then, the light beam from the irradiation means 33 passes through the optical transparent body 2 and irradiates the subject 13, and the reflected light passes through the optical transparent body 2 and is taken into the optical reading means 4.
[0030]
The optical reading unit 4 also includes a lens group 41 that forms an image by taking in reflected light from the subject 13 that is incident through the optical transparent body 2 and a CCD that converts the formed image into an electrical signal, for example. And an image pickup device 42 made of The image sensor 42 is attached to a CCD substrate 43 fixed to the main body frame 3.
[0031]
The lens group 41 is held by a mirror copper 35. The mirror copper 35 is held by the lens support frame portion 36. The lens support frame portion 36 is formed integrally with the main body frame 3. Here, a wide angle lens is used as the lens group 41. For this reason, since the focal distance of the lens group 41 can be shortened, the distance between the optical transparent body 2 and the image sensor 42 can be shortened, and the optical reader 1 can be reduced in size and weight. In this case, the irradiation light generated by the irradiating means 33 is prevented from being internally reflected inside the apparatus in spite of the use of a wide-angle lens that tends to have strong internal reflection, thereby improving the accuracy of discrimination of the read image. Can be made.
[0032]
An annular field mask 37 surrounding the optical path is attached to the upper portion of the lens support frame portion 36. Then, the peripheral edge of the optical transparent body 2 is prevented from being reflected by the inner edge of the field mask 37. Since the field mask 37 is provided at a position close to the lens group 41, the field mask 37 can be made smaller than the vicinity of the optical transparent body 2, and reflection of the peripheral edge of the optical transparent body 2 can be prevented. Thus, the unevenness of the subject 13 can be clearly recognized.
[0033]
In addition, a detection sensor 40 made of, for example, a phototransistor that detects that the subject 13 exists on the upper surface of the optical transparent body 2 is provided on the side of the lens support frame portion 36. An LED (not shown) that emits a light beam toward the detection sensor 40 is provided outside the apparatus on the incident axis of the detection sensor 40 (upper part in FIG. 1). When the light beam from the LED passes through the optical transparent body 2 and enters the detection sensor 40, it is detected that the subject 13 is not in a predetermined position, and conversely, the light beam from the LED is blocked by the subject 13. When the light does not enter the detection sensor 40, it is detected that the subject 13 is in a predetermined position. Here, since the field mask 37 is positioned close to the lens group 41, the optical path from the LED outside the apparatus to the detection sensor 40 is not blocked.
[0034]
On the other hand, the optical reading device 1 includes a case body that houses therein an optical reading means 4 that captures data into the apparatus through an optical transparent body 2 and a circuit unit 12 for operating the optical reading means 4. 5 is provided. The case body 5 is formed so as to contain the optical path between the optical reading means 4 and the optical transparent body 2 and the optical reading means 4 and the circuit unit 12. In this embodiment, the circuit unit 12 includes two circuit boards, and the optical reading unit 4 includes a lens group 41, an image sensor 42, and a CCD substrate 43. The lens group 41 and the CCD substrate 43 of the optical reading unit 4 and the substrate of the circuit unit 12 are fixed to the main body frame 3, and the optical transparent body 2 is fixed to the main body frame 3 via the guide member 14. Thus, the optical reading unit 4 and the circuit unit 12, the main body frame 3, the guide member 14, and the optical transparent body 2 are integrated as a whole to form the main body unit 15.
[0035]
The case body 5 is made of metal and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with the upper side opened. The case body 5 and the main body 15 are attached by fitting the open end 53 of the case body 5 to the stepped portion 6 on the outer periphery of the guide member 14 of the main body 15.
[0036]
In this optical reader 1, a connector part for electrically connecting the circuit part 12 to the outside of the case body 5 is attached, and a packing member 18 is attached to a packing support part 17 positioned around the externally exposed part 19 of the connector part. The unit body 16 is formed. In addition, the bottom portion 20 of the case body 5 is formed with an opening 21 formed of a through hole that exposes the external exposed portion 19 to the outside of the case body 5. In the present embodiment, the opening portion 21 is formed in the bottom portion 20 of the case body 5, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the opening portion 21 may be formed in the side portion 52 of the case body 5. Moreover, in this embodiment, although the connector part is formed with the unit body 16 which attached the packing member 18 to the packing support part 17, it is not restricted to this.
[0037]
Further, the unit body 16 is fixed to the inside of the case body 5 so that the external exposed portion 19 is exposed to the outside from the opening portion 21 and the packing member 18 is sandwiched and pressed between the case body 5 and the packing support portion 17. Like to do. The packing member 18 is made of an elastic body such as rubber, and in the present embodiment, has a plate shape having a through hole at the center. As this packing member 18, a commercially available O-ring or the like may be used.
[0038]
For this reason, since the connector part is formed by the unit body 16 including the packing member 18, the connector part can be attached to and detached from the case body 5 with a general-purpose screw member or the like. Accordingly, the case body 5 can be easily detached from the main body portion 15 without using a dedicated jig. In addition, since the packing member 18 is sandwiched and pressed between the case body 5 and the packing support portion 17, the sealing performance between the case body 5 and the connector portion can be improved, and the case body 5 and the connector portion can be improved. Sealing can be performed without using a sealing agent in between. For this reason, since the sealing agent between a connector part and the case body 5 is not broken when removing the case body 5 from the main body frame 3, generation | occurrence | production of dust and dust can be prevented. In addition, since no sealant is used between the case body 5 and the connector portion, the appearance can be improved, and it is not necessary to carefully apply the sealant while paying attention to deterioration of the appearance. Workability can be improved.
[0039]
Here, the unit body 16 includes a connector socket 19 that is connected to an external connector of the case body 5 connectable to the connector portion and forms an externally exposed portion, and a connector board 22 that is connected and fixed to the connector socket 19. The connector socket 19 and the connector board 22 are fixed to the case body 5, and the holder 23 having the packing support portion 17 and the packing member 18 attached to the packing support portion 17 on the outer periphery of the connector socket 19 are provided. The holder 23 includes an accommodation hole 24 that accommodates the connector socket 19, a concave packing support portion 17 that is formed at an edge of the accommodation hole 24 on the surface facing the inner surface of the case body 5, and accommodates the packing member 18, and a connector A board retaining hole 26 for screwing the substrate 22 to the holder 23 with a bolt 25 and a holder retaining hole 28 for screwing the holder 23 to the case body 5 with a bolt 27 from the outside of the case body 5 are provided. Yes.
[0040]
The connector socket 19 is connected and fixed to the connector substrate 22 by soldering. The connector substrate 22 to which the connector socket 19 is fixed is screwed to the holder 23 in a state where the connector socket 19 is accommodated in the accommodation hole 24 of the holder 23. Here, a sealant 29 is applied to the contact portion between the holder 23 and the connector substrate 22 from the outer peripheral side. As the sealant 29, for example, an adhesive made of synthetic resin can be used. For this reason, sealing can be performed between the holder 23 and the connector substrate 22.
[0041]
Further, a packing member 18 is provided so as to surround the outer periphery of the connector socket 19. The packing member 18 is accommodated in the packing support portion 17. Then, the holder 23 is screwed to the case body 5 from the outside of the case body 5 with the distal end portion of the connector socket 19 passing through the opening 21 from the inside of the case body 5 and exposed to the outside. For this reason, the packing member 18 can be crushed between the case body 5 and the holder 23 to achieve sealing. And since the packing member 18 is provided in the outer periphery of the connector socket 19, the clearance gap between the connector socket 19 and the packing member 18 can be aimed at.
[0042]
The connector substrate 22 and the circuit unit 12 are connected by, for example, a flexible cable 30. One end of the flexible cable 30 is directly soldered to the connector substrate 22, and the other end is connected to the substrate of the circuit unit 12 via the cable socket 31.
[0043]
Here, when the holder 23 is pressed from the outside to the inside of the main body 15, the holder 23 abuts on the circuit unit 12 and the optical reading means 4 fixed to the main body frame 3 and remains outside the main body 15. So that it ca n’t get inside. Specifically, the holder 23 comes into contact with the circuit board of the circuit unit 12 fixed to the main body frame 3 and the CCD substrate 43 of the optical reading means 4 fixed to the main body frame 3 in a relaxed state. Further, the connector substrate 22 is disposed inside the CCD substrate 43. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the unit body 16 from dropping from the main body 15 by the contact of the connector substrate 22 with the CCD substrate 43 from the inside. For this reason, since the holder 23 is positioned by the respective substrates 12 and 43, workability can be improved when the case body 5 is put on the main body 15 and the holder 23 is screwed.
[0044]
On the other hand, a step portion 6 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the guide member 14. The open end 53 of the case body 5 is fitted to the stepped portion 6. The contact surface 6 a of the step portion 6 against which the open end 53 of the case body 5 abuts is perpendicular to the outer peripheral surface of the case body 5. Thereby, positioning of case body 5 can be performed reliably. Further, the step portion 6 does not need to be continuously provided so as to make a round around the main body frame 3, and may be provided within a range necessary and sufficient for positioning the case body 5.
[0045]
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG.1 and FIG.11, the step part 6 is made into the shape which notched the step in each center part of a pair of opposing sides, and the earth part 11 of the case body 5 is made into the said part. Is located. However, it is needless to say that the shape is not particularly limited.
[0046]
On the other hand, the case body 5 is attached so as to cover the main body portion 15. The case body 5 in this embodiment is made of a steel plate, and the four side portions 52,..., 52 are each bent perpendicularly to the bottom portion 20, and the side portions 52,. It is joined and formed in a shape that opens at the top.
[0047]
As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the opening end portion 53 of the case body 5 is provided with a butting portion 7 that contacts the step portion 6 so as to protrude upward. In this case, the abutting portion 7 is a portion other than the abutting portion 7 of the open edge 53 when the case body 5 is fitted to the guide member 14 and the abutting portion 7 is brought into contact with the abutting surface 6 a of the stepped portion 6. A gap 8 is formed between the portion and the contact surface 6a.
[0048]
The abutting portion 7 is formed in a trapezoidal shape protruding from the open end edge 53 of the case body 5, and further, the case body 5 is screwed and fixed to the guide member 14 with a bolt 44 at the protruding portion. A screw hole 10 is provided. In this case, the four abutting portions 7,..., 7 are provided so that the protruding amounts from the open end edge 53 are equal at any location so that the case body 5 can be accurately and well-balanced with respect to the guide member 14. Has been. However, the shape or form of the abutting portion 7 is not limited to this, and the case body 5 is correctly positioned with respect to the guide member 14 as described above, for example, a semicircular shape or a triangular shape. If the gap 8 is formed between the open end 53 of the case body 5 and the contact surface 6a of the stepped portion 6, there is no problem. The case body 5 and the guide member 14 are fixed by abutting the thus-positioned state and screwing the screwing part 10 of the abutting part 7 to form the optical reading device 1.
[0049]
Further, the open end edge 53 of the case body 5 is provided with a ground portion 11 for grounding the case body 5. The ground portion 11 in the present embodiment is formed integrally with the case body 5 between the adjacent butting portions 7 and 7 and has a substantially L-shape projecting from the butting portion 7 from the open end edge 53. In this case, the ground portion 11 has a shape that becomes thinner toward the tip, and further, the top side of the tip has a pointed shape that maintains good contact and electrical conductivity. For this reason, the earth part 11 is provided with flexibility.
[0050]
When the case body 5 is attached to the main body frame 3 having a potential of 0 through the guide member 14, the tip of the grounding portion 11 of the case body 5 contacts the frame of the optical system device to which the optical reader 1 is attached. You will be in touch. Since the abutting ground portion 11 is bent and pressed against the frame or the like of the optical system device, the grounding state of the case body 5 is always maintained. In addition, the shape and form of the earth part 11 shown here are examples, and are not particularly limited as long as the case body 5 can be sufficiently grounded.
[0051]
A gap 8 is provided between the open end 53 of the case body 5 and the contact surface 6 a of the stepped portion 6 by the butted portion 7. The gap 8 is coated with a sealant 9 for fixing the guide member 14 and the case body 5 and enhancing the sealing performance. In the present embodiment, a resin curable material having a high viscosity is used as the sealant 9. In this case, since this sealing agent 9 should just be apply | coated to the clearance gap 8, it can apply | coat uniformly according to the shape of the clearance gap 8 visually. The sealant 9 may be applied entirely so as to fill the gap 8 between the main body frame 3 and the case body 5, but as in the present embodiment, the open end 53 side of the case body 5. Even if it is applied only to the cover, the sealing performance between the guide member 14 and the case body 5 can be sufficiently maintained, so that the coating amount can be reduced within a range in which the sealing performance is maintained.
[0052]
Further, since the sealant 9 is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the optical reading device 1 in this way, it is suitable when the case body 5 is removed from the main body portion 15. That is, since the hardened sealant 9 can be removed by scraping or the like from the peripheral side, the case body 5 can be easily detached from the main body portion 15.
[0053]
When assembling the optical reading device 1 described above, the unit body 16 of the connector portion is attached to the circuit portion 12 and the CCD substrate 43 when the main body portion 15 is assembled. Then, the case body 5 is put on the main body portion 15, and the holder 23 is screwed to the case body 5 with a bolt 27 from the outside of the bottom portion 20 of the case body 5. Then, the butted portion 7 of the case body 5 is screwed to the guide member 14 and the sealing agent 9 is applied to the open edge 53. Thereby, the optical reader 1 is assembled.
[0054]
When removing the case body 5 from the main body 15, the sealing agent 9 on the open end edge 53 is removed, and the bolts 44 and 27 on the butted portion 7 and the bottom portion 20 are removed. As a result, the case body 5 is not fixed to the main body 15 and can be easily detached from the main body 15.
[0055]
Further, when the image of the subject 13 is captured by the optical reading device 1 described above, the subject 13 is slid along the passage 32. When the detection sensor 40 detects that the subject 13 is positioned on the optical transparent body 2, image reading is started. Then, irradiation light is generated by the irradiation means 33 and transmitted through the prism 51 and the diffusion plate 55. The transmitted light is transmitted through the optical transparent body 2 and irradiated to the subject 13 to be reflected. The reflected light passes through the optical transparent body 2 again and enters the lens group 41 and is imaged by the image sensor 42. The formed image is converted into an electrical signal by the image sensor 42. Here, since the antireflection film 48 is formed on the inner surface of the optical transparent body 2 and the peak wavelength of the antireflection film 48 is different from the peak wavelength of the irradiating means 33, Internal reflection can be suppressed.
[0056]
As described above, according to the optical reading device 1 of the present embodiment, since the optical transparent body 2 is circular, stress concentration can be prevented and the strength can be improved while reducing costs. For this reason, even if the subject 13 falls on the optical transparent body 2, the optical transparent body 2 is prevented from cracking, and the reading accuracy of the image due to the crack of the optical transparent body 2 is reduced. There is no need to exchange the two.
[0057]
Further, since the passage 32 is formed by a separate member of the optical transparent body 2 and the passage members 34 and 34, even if the subject 13 falls on the passage member 34 and the passage member 34 is cracked, the optical transparency is obtained. No cracks propagate to the body 2.
[0058]
Furthermore, since the optical transparent body 2 is made of sapphire glass and the passage member 34 is made of SUS304, the optical transparent body 2 and the passage member 34 can be made to have high hardness to suppress the occurrence of wear and scratches. In addition, the optical transparent body 2 and the passage member 34 can be made high in strength and can be prevented from being broken or damaged.
[0059]
In addition, since the passage member 34 is non-magnetic in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent metal powder or the like from adhering to the passage member 34 due to magnetic force and staying. For this reason, since it is possible to prevent dust such as metal powder from being caught between the subject 13 and the optical transparent body 2, it is possible to prevent the optical transparent body 2 from being damaged. Further, since the surface of the passage member 34 that comes into contact with the subject 13 is subjected to a surface hardening process, the wear resistance and scratch resistance of the subject 13 can be further improved.
[0060]
Further, since the tapered surfaces 2a and 34b are formed at the end edges of the optical transparent body 2 and the passage members 34 and 34 in the passage direction D of the subject 13, when the subject 13 slides in the passage 32, these are provided. The object 13 can be smoothly slid by preventing the optical transparent body 2 and the edges of the passage members 34 and 34 from being caught.
[0061]
Further, in the optical reading device 1 of the present embodiment, a gap 8 is formed between the step portion 6 and the open end edge 53, and the gap 8 between the main body frame 3 and the case body 5 is sealed. Sealing with the agent 9 enhances the sealing performance. Therefore, it is possible to prevent dust from entering the optical reader 1.
[0062]
In addition, since the sealant 9 is applied from the outside after the case body 5 is assembled to the main body 15, the amount of application can be adjusted while visually observing, and it is not applied excessively. Therefore, the sealing agent 9 does not protrude into the optical reader 1. Moreover, since the sealing agent 9 is applied later, less attention is required when the case body 5 is assembled to the main body portion 15. That is, when attaching the case body 5 to the main body portion 15 to which the sealant 9 has been applied in advance, the portion where the gap 8 is formed is spread over and over while preventing the sealant 9 from adhering to other portions. However, according to the present embodiment, the labor required for the attachment and the labor required for the application are small, and the labor required for the assembly is small.
[0063]
The above-described embodiment is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but is not limited thereto, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in the present embodiment, the holder 23 and the connector socket 19 are separated, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the holder 23 and the connector socket 19 may be integrally formed, for example, by plastic injection molding. In this case, the number of parts is reduced.
[0064]
In this embodiment, the connector sealing structure is used when the inside and outside of the optical reader 1 are connected by a connector. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the cable when the inside and outside of the optical reader 1 are connected by a cable. It is good also as a sealing structure.
[0065]
In this case, as shown in FIG. 13, the optical reading device 1 is configured such that a lead-out portion that pulls out the connection cable 45 that electrically connects the circuit portion 12 to the outside of the case body 5 from the case body 5 is exposed to the outside of the lead-out portion. The unit body 16 ′ is formed by attaching the packing member 18 to the packing support portion 17 around the portion 46. The unit body 16 ′ is fixed to the inside of the case body 5 so that the externally exposed portion 46 is exposed to the outside through the opening 21 and the packing member 18 is sandwiched and pressed between the case body 5 and the packing support portion 17. To do.
[0066]
For this reason, since the drawer portion is formed by the unit body 16 ′ including the packing member 18, the drawer portion can be attached to and detached from the case body 5 with a general-purpose screw member or the like. As a result, the case body 5 can be easily detached from the main body portion 15 without using a dedicated jig. Further, since the packing member 18 is sandwiched and pressed between the case body 5 and the packing support portion 17, the sealing performance between the case body 5 and the drawer portion can be improved, and the case body 5 and the drawer portion can be improved. Sealing can be performed without using a sealing agent in between. For this reason, since the sealing agent between the drawer | drawing-out part and the case body 5 is not broken when removing the case body 5 from the main body frame 3, generation | occurrence | production of dust and dust can be prevented. In addition, since no sealant is used between the case body 5 and the lead-out part, the appearance can be improved, and it is not necessary to carefully apply the sealant while paying attention to deterioration of the appearance. Workability can be improved.
[0067]
Further, the unit body 16 ′ includes a connection cable 45 that is electrically connected to the outside of the case body 5, holds the connection cable 45 and is fixed to the case body 5, and the concave packing support 17 and the case body 5. The holder 23 having the external exposed portion 46 exposed to the outside and the packing member 18 attached to the packing support portion 17 on the outer periphery of the external exposed portion 46 are provided. For this reason, the connection cable 45 can be easily detached from the case body 5 and the sealant is not broken when the case body 5 is detached from the main body 15, thus preventing generation of dust and dust. can do. Further, a sealant 47 is applied between the connection cable 45 and the holder 23. For this reason, sealing between the connection cable 45 and the holder 23 can be performed.
[0068]
In each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the sealing structure such as a connector is applied to an optical reader that reads a pattern such as a coin has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an optical reader such as a CD-ROM device is used. You may apply to an apparatus. Also in this case, the case body can be easily detached from the main body without using a dedicated jig, and dust and dust can be prevented from being generated during the removal.
[0069]
In each of the above-described embodiments, the optical reader 1 is used for coin reading. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be used for fingerprint reading, for example.
[0070]
【The invention's effect】
As is clear from the above description, according to the optical reading device of the first aspect, the optically transparent body has a circular shape having a diameter larger than that of the circular opening, so that the necessary minimum area is set. Can do. For this reason, the cost of an optical transparent body can be reduced compared with the conventional rectangular optical transparent body. Therefore, the cost of the optical reader can be reduced.
[0071]
Further, since the optical transparent body is circular, there is no portion that causes stress concentration. For this reason, since the intensity | strength of an optical transparent body can be improved, even if a to-be-photographed object falls to an optical transparent body, it can suppress that an optical transparent body cracks. Therefore, the reading accuracy of the image does not decrease due to the crack of the optical transparent body, and it is not necessary to replace the optical transparent body.
[0072]
Further, since the path of the subject is formed by a separate member of the optical transparent body and the path member, even if the subject falls on the path member and cracks are generated in the path member, the crack propagates to the optical transparent body. There is nothing. Therefore, the reading accuracy of the image does not decrease due to the crack of the optical transparent body, and it is not necessary to replace the optical transparent body.
According to the optical reading device of the first aspect, since the passage member is made of non-magnetic metal, the passage member is charged by sliding on the passage member even if the subject is a magnetic material having magnetism. And it will not become magnetized. For this reason, it is possible to prevent dust such as metal powder from staying while adhering to the passage member with magnetic force and being caught between the subject and the optical transparent body. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the optical transparent body from being damaged.
[0073]
In the optical reader according to claim 2, the optical transparent body is made of sapphire glass.RuThus, both the optically transparent body and the passage member can have high hardness. For this reason, it is possible to improve wear resistance and scratch resistance against sliding of the subject. In addition, since both the optically transparent body and the passage member can have high strength, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of breakage and scratches due to the dropping of the subject.
[0075]
In addition, billingItem 3According to the above-described optical reader, since the irradiation unit is arranged in a circle around the opening, it is possible to irradiate the subject on an average over the entire circumference. For this reason, since the contrast of the image read by the optical reading means can be made uniform, the image reading accuracy can be improved.
[0076]
Also billedItem 4In the optical reading apparatus described above, the edges of the optical transparent body and the passage member in the passage direction of the subject are tapered surfaces, so that the subject slides with respect to the optical transparent body and the passage member. When moving, it is possible to prevent the optical transparent body and the edge of the passage member from being caught. For this reason, since the subject can be smoothly slid, the occurrence of clogging of the subject can be prevented.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of an optical reader according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing an optical reader.
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an optically transparent body.
FIG. 4 is a side view showing an optically transparent body.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a passage member.
6 is a side view showing a state in which the passage member is cut along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a connector portion of the optical reader.
8A and 8B are views showing a unit body, in which FIG. 8A is a front view and FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG.
FIG. 9 is a side view showing an optical reader.
FIG. 10 is a bottom view showing the optical reader.
FIG. 11 is another side view showing the optical reader.
FIG. 12 is a side view showing a case body.
FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the connector portion of the optical reader.
FIG. 14 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a conventional optical reader.
FIG. 15 is a plan view showing a conventional optical reader.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Optical reader
2 Optical transparency
2a Tapered surface
4 Optical reading means
13 Subject
15 Body
32 passage
33 Irradiation means
34 Passage member
34b Tapered surface
41 Lens group
42 Image sensor
50 opening
D Subject passing direction

Claims (4)

An opening provided in the main body is covered with an optical transparent body, and a passage through which a subject to be image-read passes passes outside the optical transparent body and irradiates the subject on the inner side of the optical transparent body And an optical reading device that captures an image of the subject via the optical transparent body, wherein the opening is formed in a circular shape and the optical transparent body is formed from the opening. A passage member that is formed in a large-diameter circular shape and has an outer shape along the peripheral surface of the optical transparent body is disposed before and after the optical transparent body in the passing direction of the subject , and the passage member is non- circular An optical reading apparatus characterized in that it is made of magnetic metal and the optical reading means has a lens for taking in light incident through the optical transparent body and an image pickup device. Wherein the optically transparent body optical reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sapphire glass der Turkey. It said illumination means according to claim 1 or 2 Symbol placement of the optical reader and irradiating obliquely from the outer side the opening while being arranged in a circular shape so as to surround the opening. Each of the edges of the passage direction of the object optical reader according to any one of the claims 1 or found 3 or, characterized in that the tapered surface of the passage member and the optically transparent body.

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