JP4450459B2 - Image recognition transport device and envelope sealing system using the same - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image recognition transport apparatus and an envelope enclosing system for holding and transporting a transport body when imaging and recognizing an identification code attached to the transport body.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, characters, symbols, objects, and others are recognized by image recognition processing using a computer, and the industry, logistics, and the like are actively performed. There are various methods for these image recognition processes depending on the purpose, but improvement of recognition accuracy is generally desired, and in particular, recognition accuracy is improved regardless of the recognition object to which characters, symbols, etc. are attached. It is hoped that will be done.
[0003]
FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of image recognition in a conventional image recognition transport apparatus. In FIG. 4A, an imaging camera 101 incorporating a CCD is disposed, and a transport belt 102 of the transport mechanism is disposed below the imaging camera 101. On the other hand, the conveyance body 103 </ b> A with the image recognition target mark is conveyed by the conveyance belt 102. When the transport body 103A is transported on the transport belt 102 and positioned below the imaging camera 101, the imaging camera 101 captures an image of the mark attached to the transport body 103A. The captured image data is processed by an image recognition processing unit (not shown) and the mark is recognized.
[0004]
For example, the image recognition transport apparatus is applied to an envelope enclosing system in which a predetermined encapsulated material is enclosed in an envelope for delivery. In this case, the envelope is printed with a mark for image recognition that is different for each envelope, or a sticker with the mark printed thereon is affixed. It is intended to check and manage the relationship with the envelope.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, depending on the carrier 103A, there may be a case where the thickness is different. When an enclosure is enclosed in the envelope, the thickness varies depending on the content and quantity of the enclosure. That is, in the case of the transport body 103A shown in FIG. 4A, the distance from the surface (upper surface) to which the mark of the transport body 103A is attached to the imaging camera 101 is H1, whereas FIG. In the case of the carrier 103B having a different thickness, the distance from the upper surface to the imaging camera 101 is H2.
[0006]
Therefore, if the position of the imaging camera 101 is fixed, the carrier 103A and the carrier 103B are different in focus, and if the image is recognized and the image is recognized without being in focus, the recognition accuracy is reduced. In addition to the problem, there is a problem that the frequency of stopping a series of processes increases due to misrecognition and the operation efficiency decreases. In addition, when trying to deal with a carrier of any thickness, an infrared camera is used to provide the imaging camera 101 with an autofocus function or a mechanism for adjusting the height of the imaging camera 101. There is a problem that it becomes necessary and expensive, and the mechanism becomes complicated.
[0007]
Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image recognition transport apparatus and an envelope sealing system that improve image recognition accuracy with a simple mechanism, and thus improve operating efficiency of a work process. To do.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, in the invention of claim 1, in an image recognition transport apparatus for transporting a transport body to which a predetermined identification code is attached, and imaging and recognizing the identification code by an imaging means. It is configured to include a respective conveyor belt which is arranged in the conveying direction at intervals to be imaged on said image pickup means, conveying means for conveying the carrier the identification code marked the surface and in contact with the conveying member, wherein Each rotation roller corresponding to each conveyance belt has a rotation roller, and the rotation roller is movable with respect to the opposite surface in the thickness direction of the surface to which the identification code is attached in the conveyance body conveyed by the conveyance means . And a holding means for holding the transported transport body by being urged in the thickness direction and rotatably contacted .
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the holding unit includes a biasing unit that biases the transport body in the thickness direction.
[0009]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an envelope enclosing system comprising the image recognition conveying device according to the first or second aspect, wherein a predetermined number of encapsulated objects enclosed in an envelope as a conveying body to which the identification code is attached. An enclosure supply means for supplying; an enclosure means for enclosing the enclosure supplied from the enclosure supply means in the envelope; an imaging means for imaging an identification code attached to the envelope; Management means for checking and managing the association between the envelope and the inclusion based on the imaging data.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided identification code forming means for attaching the identification code to the envelope.
[0010]
As described above, in the image recognition transport apparatus, each transport disposed in the transport direction at intervals at which the image pickup unit contacts the surface with the identification code and causes the imaging unit to capture an image. conveying means conveys configured with a belt, the rollers on the opposite surface in the thickness direction of the identification code is attached to carrier surfaces in a holding means having a respective rotary rollers corresponding to each conveyor belt during transport Is held in a freely movable manner by the biasing means. Therefore, the imaging distance to the imaging means is constant regardless of the thickness of the carrier, and the accuracy of image recognition of the identification code can be easily improved without performing focusing or distance adjustment according to the thickness of the carrier. It is possible to prevent operation stoppage due to erroneous recognition and improve operation efficiency.
[0011]
Further, in the envelope sealing system using the image recognition transport apparatus, a predetermined number of sealed materials supplied from the sealed material supply means are sealed by the sealing means in an envelope as a transport body to which an identification code is attached. Then, the image pickup means picks up and recognizes the identification code that is appropriately attached to the envelope having a thickness corresponding to the inclusion by the identification code forming means, and the management means confirms the association between the identification code and the envelope and manages it. To do. Therefore, the imaging distance to the imaging means is constant regardless of the thickness of the envelope, and the accuracy of image recognition of the identification code can be easily improved without performing focusing or distance adjustment according to the thickness of the envelope. This makes it possible to prevent operation stoppage due to erroneous recognition and improve system operation efficiency.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of a transport holding mechanism in the image recognition transport apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 1A shows a conveyance holding mechanism which is a main part of the image recognition conveyance apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 1B shows a holding means. The conveyance holding mechanism 11 shown in FIG. 1A is provided with, for example, an imaging camera 12 including a CCD, and two conveyance rollers 13A (also provided at opposed positions not shown) below the imaging camera 12. A conveying belt 14A suspended in an annular shape and a conveying belt 14B suspended in an annular shape on two conveying rollers 13B (also provided at opposing positions not shown) are arranged. These conveying rollers 13A and 13B and conveying belts 14A and 14B constitute a conveying means.
[0013]
A predetermined number of movable holding portions 15 (15-1, 15-2), which are holding means, are arranged below the conveying means, and the conveying means and the movable holding portions 15 (15-1, 15-). 2), the carrier 16A to which a predetermined identification code is attached is conveyed. In this case, the transport rollers 13A and 13B and the transport belts 14A and 14B of the transport unit are configured to have, for example, a width (or wider than that) in the width direction of the transport body 16A (from the front to the back in the drawing). In addition, you may arrange | position the said conveying means by a desired number in the width direction of the conveyance body 16A. In addition, the movable holding portions 15 (15-1, 15-2) are, for example, arranged on the front side in the width direction of the transport body 16A, two on the front side, and two on the back side. The number of arrangement is set as appropriate.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 1 (B), the movable holding portion 15 (15-1, 15-2) has a shaft 22 attached to one end portion of the movable plate 21, and a rotating roller 23 is rotatable about the shaft 22. It is supported. A rotating shaft 24 is rotatably supported relative to the movable plate 21 at the other end portion of the movable plate 21, and a pulley 25 is fixed to a predetermined portion of the rotating shaft 24. And the coil spring 26 which is a biasing means is provided so that it may wind around the rotating shaft 24 between the movable plate 21 and the pulley 25. FIG. One end of the coil spring 26 is fixed to the pulley 25, and the other end is hooked on the side portion of the movable plate 21.
[0015]
Such a movable holding portion 15 has a rotating shaft 24 fixed to an apparatus housing or the like, and a movable plate 21 (rotating roller 23) is rotatable around the rotating shaft 24. As shown in FIG. 1A, the rotating roller 23 has an urging force acting upward (on the side of the conveying body 16A). In addition, the conveyance in the location which does not image with the imaging camera 12 should just be conveyed in the state mounted on the said conveyance belt by conveyance means like the said conveyance belts 14A and 14B.
[0016]
That is, the transport rollers 13A and 13B and the transport belts 14A and 14B of the transport unit are in contact with the surface with the identification code of the transport body 16A facing the imaging camera 12 and transport the transport body. Further, the movable holding portion 15 (15-1, 15-2) is urged movably with respect to the opposite surface in the thickness direction of the surface to which the identification code is attached in the transport body 16A transported by the transport means. The rotating roller 23 is in contact with and held.
[0017]
Although the case where the coil spring 26 is used as the biasing means has been described in the above configuration, the present invention is not limited to this, and an elastic member such as a leaf spring or rubber may be used. In addition, the above configuration shows the case where the transport body 16A is transported in the horizontal direction. However, when transporting the transport body 16A in the vertical direction, the components shown in FIG. It ’s good.
[0018]
FIG. 2 is a view for explaining the operation of the transport holding mechanism of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2A, the transport body 16A has a surface 16-1 with an identification code (not shown) in contact with the transport belts 14A and 14B, and the movable holding portion 15 (15-1 and 15-). In 2), the opposite surface 16-2 is abutted and held and conveyed while being urged toward the conveying belts 14A and 14B. Then, when positioned below the imaging camera 12, the identification code given by the imaging camera 12 is imaged. At this time, the distance between the surface 16-1 to which the identification code is attached and the imaging camera 12 is imaged at H0.
[0019]
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2 (B), when the transport body 16B thicker than the transport body 16A is transported, the transport body 16B is moved in the movable holding portion 15 (15-1, 15-2). When the movable plate 21 rotates in the thickness direction around the rotation shaft 24 in accordance with the thickness of the roller, the rotation roller 23 also contacts the surface 16-2 of the conveyance body 16B and is urged toward the conveyance belts 14A and 14B. Rotate while. At this time, the position of the surface 16-1 to which the identification code of the transport body 16B is attached is in a state of being fixed by the transport belts 14A and 14B, and the surface 16 in the case of being imaged while being positioned below the imaging camera 12. The distance between −1 and the imaging camera 12 is H0.
[0020]
That is, the distance H0 is always constant with respect to the imaging camera 12 on the surface 16-1 to which the identification code is attached regardless of the thicknesses of the transporters 16A and 16B. As a result, if the focus of the imaging camera 12 is set as a fixed focus, a stable image can be always captured, and the accuracy of image recognition performed based on this imaging data is improved. This reduces the erroneous recognition of the image (identification code), prevents a series of processes from being stopped due to the erroneous recognition, and improves the operation efficiency. Moreover, it is only necessary to provide the movable holding portion 15 (15-1, 15-2), which can be realized inexpensively and easily compared to the case of providing a mechanism for automatic focusing and a mechanism for adjusting the height of the imaging camera 12. It can be done.
[0021]
Next, FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of an envelope sealing system to which the image recognition transport apparatus of the present invention is applied. An envelope enclosing system 31 shown in FIG. 3 encloses, for example, a leaflet in an envelope and attaches an identification code to the envelope. A leaflet supply unit 33 that supplies a predetermined number of leaflets 32 is provided. A conveying device 34 for conveying the envelope and an envelope enclosing device 35 for enclosing the leaflet 32 in the envelope are provided. The envelope sealing device 35 includes an envelope supply unit 37 that supplies the envelope 36, and includes transport means (not shown) that transports the supplied envelope 36 to the sealing position. Further, a thickness sensor 38 such as a reflection type that detects the thickness at the time of encapsulation is provided.
[0022]
On the other hand, a label affixing unit 40 as an identification code forming means for affixing a label 39 previously provided with an identification code by printing or the like is disposed between the envelope sealing device 35 and the transport device 34, and the final stage portion of the transport device 34 An image recognition transport device (not shown in the figure) including the transport holding mechanism 11 is disposed, and the imaging camera 12 serving as an imaging unit is disposed above. A stacker 41 for sequentially storing envelopes 36 in which leaflets 32 are enclosed is disposed. Reference numeral 42 denotes a management computer 42 which is a management means for controlling the envelope filling process. Instead of the label attaching unit 40, a means for directly printing and printing the identification code on the envelope 36 may be provided.
[0023]
In the envelope sealing device 31, a predetermined number of leaflets 32 are sequentially supplied from the leaflet supply unit 33 to the transport device 34, and these are superimposed and transported to the sealing position. On the other hand, in the envelope sealing device 35, the envelope 36 is supplied from the envelope supply unit 37 and conveyed to the sealing position. At this position, a predetermined number of leaflets 32 are enclosed, and the thickness sensor 38 detects whether or not the inclusions are enclosed. Then, the envelope 36 in which a predetermined number of leaflets 32 are sealed is sealed and conveyed to the position of the label sticking unit 40, where the label 39 is stuck and reversed.
[0024]
The envelope 36 as the transport body 16 to which the label 39 is attached is transported to a position below the imaging camera 12, but is held by the transport holding mechanism 11 of the transport device for image recognition immediately before the position and is captured by the imaging camera 12. And the label 39 affixed thereto passes upward. At this time, the imaging camera 12 captures the label 39, sends imaging data of an identification code (for example, a number) to the management computer 42, and the management computer 42 recognizes the identification code and the envelope 36. Therefore, management of delivery in the envelope 36 is performed. Then, the envelope 36 (conveyance body 16) on which the label 39 has been imaged is sequentially stocked in the stacker 41.
[0025]
As described above, in the envelope sealing system 31, the imaging distance to the imaging camera 12 is constant regardless of the thickness of the envelope 36, and the accuracy of image recognition of the identification code can be easily improved. The system operation stoppage by the system is prevented and the system operation efficiency can be improved.
[0026]
In addition, although the case where the conveyance apparatus for image recognition provided with the said conveyance holding mechanism 11 was applied to the envelope enclosure system as shown in FIG. 3 was shown, it picks up the identification code attached | subjected on the conveyance body 16 about variable thickness The present invention can be applied to all apparatuses and systems that are imaged and recognized by a camera, and can improve the image recognition accuracy of the identification code and improve the operation efficiency.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the conveyance body to which the identification code is attached is arranged in the conveyance direction at an interval at which the imaging means abuts on the surface to which the identification code is attached. The conveying means configured to include each conveying belt conveys, and in the holding means having each rotation roller corresponding to each conveying belt at the time of conveying, on the opposite surface in the thickness direction of the surface to which the identification code is attached to the conveying member. The roller is in contact with the roller and is held movably by the urging unit, so that the imaging distance to the imaging unit is constant regardless of the thickness of the carrier, and the accuracy of image recognition of the identification code can be easily increased. It is possible to improve the operation efficiency.
[0028]
According to the inventions of claims 2 and 3 , a predetermined number of enclosures from the enclosure supply means are enclosed by the enclosure means in an envelope as a carrier to which an identification code is attached, and the thickness according to the enclosure is increased. The image pickup means picks up and recognizes the identification code attached to the envelope as appropriate by the identification code forming means, and the management means confirms and manages the association between the identification code and the envelope, thereby controlling the envelope thickness. First, the imaging distance to the imaging unit is constant, the accuracy of image recognition of the identification code can be easily improved, and the system operating efficiency can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a transport holding mechanism in an image recognition transport apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the conveyance holding mechanism of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an envelope sealing system to which the image recognition transport apparatus of the present invention is applied.
FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of image recognition in a conventional image recognition transport apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Conveyance holding mechanism 12 Imaging camera 13A, 13B Conveyance roller 14A, 14B Conveyance belt 15 (15-1, 15-2) Movable holding part 16A, 16B Conveyance body 21 Movable plate 23 Rotating roller 26 Coil spring 31 Envelope enclosure system 32 Flyer 36 Envelope 39 Label 41 Stacker

Claims (3)

In the image recognition transport apparatus for transporting the transport body to which the predetermined identification code is attached and capturing the recognition code by the imaging means.
Conveying means configured to include each conveying belt arranged in the conveying direction at intervals to be imaged by the imaging means , and conveying the conveying body in contact with the surface to which the identification code of the conveying body is attached;
Each rotation roller corresponding to each conveyance belt has a rotation roller, and the rotation roller is movable with respect to a surface opposite to the thickness direction of the surface to which the identification code is attached in the conveyance body conveyed by the conveyance means. And holding means for holding the transported transport body by being urged in the thickness direction so as to be rotatably contacted ,
An image recognition transport apparatus comprising: An envelope enclosing system comprising the image recognition transport device according to claim 1 ,
An enclosure supply means for supplying a predetermined number of enclosures enclosed in an envelope as a carrier to which the identification code is attached;
Enclosing means for enclosing the enclosure supplied from the enclosure supply means in the envelope;
Imaging means for imaging the identification code attached to the envelope;
Management means for confirming and managing the association between the envelope and the inclusion based on the imaging data from the imaging means;
An envelope enclosing system comprising: The envelope enclosing system according to claim 2 , further comprising an identification code forming means for attaching the identification code to the envelope.

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