JPH045776A - Baggage detecting device of carrier device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To read a body to be detected attached to the face of the approaching or separating side of baggage by controlling an optical member to a detecting position and a non-detecting position based on the detecting of a baggage detecting means. CONSTITUTION:A baggage detecting controller inputs a detecting signal from approaching and separating detecting sensors 26 and 27 and executed the reading action of a bar code 23 by a bar code reader 16. The controller is connected with the reader 16, outputs a reading indication control signal, transfers data read by the reader 15 to an external device, outputs a riving control signal to a driving circuit and makes a elevating member 19 vertical-move. The bar code 23 is read by the bar code reader 16 through a mirror table 20, a reflecting mirror 21 and a reflecting mirror 17.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field 1] The present invention relates to a load detection device for a conveyance device, and more specifically, it detects a detected object such as a bar code attached to a load conveyed by a conveyance device such as a roller conveyor. The present invention relates to a load detection device for detecting a load.

[Prior Art] In recent years, attempts have been made to rationalize baggage management by attaching barcodes to parcels and the like in logistics systems. For example,
As shown in Japanese Patent No. 4-598, it has been proposed that a forklift truck is equipped with a barco reader and a bar code is attached to the cargo side, including pallets, so that the cargo to be carried in and out by the forklift can be sorted and managed.

Furthermore, in a conveyance system in which the baggage 2 is conveyed by a roller conveyor 1 as shown in FIG. There was a device that managed luggage by reading the barcode 4 attached to it.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conveyance system in which the baggage 2 is conveyed by the roller conveyor 1, when the baggage 2 is placed on the conveyor I, the side with the barcode 4 is always placed on the barcode reader. 3. It is necessary to place it facing the side where it is installed.
It was extremely troublesome as I was confused as to which side to face with the barcode 4 on it. In addition, if the roller conveyors 1 are irregularly connected and the side of the baggage 2 with the barcode 4 is turned to the direction of travel, the barcode 4 cannot be read by the barcode reader 3. could not. Furthermore, since the barcode reader 3 is installed on the side adjacent to the conveyor 1, an installation space must be secured for it, which poses a problem in terms of effective use of space.

This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to improve work efficiency by allowing loads to be placed on the conveyor without having to be particularly aware of the direction in which the loads are placed. In addition, to provide a load detection device for a conveyance device that can reliably read even if the surface on which the bar code of the load is attached changes to the direction of travel, and that contributes to effective use of space without taking up space. There is a particular thing.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention achieves the above object (load detection by a conveyance device that reads objects to be detected attached to the load being conveyed by transferring rollers installed at predetermined intervals). In the device, a data reading device is arranged below the rollers to read data on the detected object, and a data reading device is arranged between the rollers to read the image of the detected object on the opposing surfaces of the baggage as it approaches or moves away. an optical member that guides the data reading device; a guide means that guides the optical member to a detected object detection position and a non-detection position that does not interfere with cargo transportation; and at least a side where the cargo approaches the optical member; A load detection device for a conveyance device is provided, which includes a load passage detection means installed at a position that does not interfere with the conveyance of the load, and a control means for controlling the position of an optical member via a guide means based on detection by the load detection means. This is the summary.

[Operation 1] Based on the detection by the baggage detection means, the control means controls the optical member to the detection position and the non-detection position via the guide means. As a result, it is possible to reliably read the detected object attached to the surface on the approach or separation side of the baggage without interfering with the conveyance of the baggage.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of a baggage detection device embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, a pair of left and right side frames 1 supported by legs 11
A large number of rod-shaped rollers 13 are rotatably supported between the two to form a roller conveyor.

The cargo 14 is then conveyed on the roller conveyor in the direction of the arrow (hereinafter referred to as downstream). The control box 15 is installed below the roller conveyor, and has various control devices and operating devices built therein, and a barcode reader 16 as a data reading device is fixedly installed on the upper downstream side of the control box 15. Further, a pair of reflecting mirrors 1, 7, and 18 constituting an optical member are fixed at the center of the upper surface of the control box 15 at an angle of 45 degrees so as to guide light from above to the bar code reader 16. In addition, the downstream reflecting mirror 18
uses a reflector that transmits the light guided from the upstream reflector I7 to the barco 1" reader 16.The reflector 1
A pair of elevating members 19 constituting guide means projecting upward are provided on both sides of the box 7 so as to be movable up and down, and are moved up and down by an operating device provided within the box 15.

A triangular prism-shaped mirror stand 20 is provided between the tips of the elevating member 19, and a pair of reflecting mirrors 21 and 22 constituting an optical member are fixed to the mirror stand 20. The reflecting mirror 21 is tilted upstream at 45 degrees, and the reflecting mirror 22 is tilted downstream at 45 degrees.

Then, the elevating member 19 moves upward, and the mirror stand 20 or the rollers 13 move upward.
When the reflector 21 is guided from the space in between to the detection position protruding upward onto the baggage conveyance path, the reflector 21 faces the surface (front) in the traveling direction of the baggage 14 approaching from upstream, and detects the covering attached to the same surface. An image of a parcode 23 as a detection object is guided to a barcode reader 16 via a reflecting mirror 17. Further, the reflecting mirror 22 faces the rear surface of the baggage 14 moving away downstream, and guides the image of the barcode 23 attached to the rear surface to the barcode reader 16 via the reflecting mirror I8.

On the other hand, when the elevating member 19 moves downward, the mirror stand 20 is guided from the space between the rollers 13 to a position (non-detection position) where it does not interfere with the conveyance of the luggage below.

L-shaped support arms 24 and 25 are attached to the front and rear surfaces of the control box I5, and passage detection sensors 26 and 27, which serve as means for detecting the passage of luggage, are attached to the tips of the support arms 24 and 25, which are photoelectric elements. Each of these rollers is arranged below the space between the rollers 13 so as not to interfere with the conveyance of the cargo.

The upstream passage detection sensor (hereinafter referred to as an approach detection sensor) 26 detects the baggage 1 approaching the dressing table 20.
A passage detection sensor (hereinafter referred to as a separation detection sensor) 27 on the downstream side detects passage of the luggage 14 moving away from the dressing table 20.

Incidentally, an auxiliary frame 12a is attached to the side frame 12 between the rollers 13 where the barcode reader 16 is disposed, and both frames 12,1
2a to support the auxiliary roller 13a, so that the distance between the rows 513 is large so that conveyance of the load 14 is not hindered.

Next, the electrical configuration of the baggage detection device configured as described above will be explained with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 3, a baggage detection controller 31 serving as a control means inputs detection signals from approach and separation detection sensors 26 and 27, and reads a barcode 23 by a barcode reader 16 according to a predetermined program based on the detection signals. Perform the operation for reading. The baggage detection controller 31 is connected to the barcode reader 16 and outputs a control signal for instructing reading, and also transfers the data read by the barcode reader 16 to an external device (for example, a host computer).

Further, the controller 31 is connected to an actuator drive circuit 32 and outputs a drive control signal to the drive circuit 32 to drive and control an actuator 33 that constitutes a guide means for moving the elevating member 19 up and down.

Next, the operation of the baggage detection device configured as described above will be explained according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

Now, while the mirror stand 20 is waiting at the non-detection position, the cargo 14 is conveyed from the upstream side of the roller conveyor and the mirror stand 20
When approaching toward 0, the approach detection sensor 26 detects the passage of the luggage 14 in advance. When the approach detection sensor 26 detects the passage of the baggage 14 and turns on, the baggage detection controller 31 responds to this on signal in step I, moves to step 2, outputs a control signal to the actuator drive circuit 32, and operates the actuator 33. The mirror table 20 is moved upward from the non-detection position to the detection position via the lifting member 19. Next, in step 3, a reading instruction control signal is output to the barcode reader 1G, and in response to the instruction control signal, the reader 16 immediately reads the bar attached to the front of the baggage 14 guided through the reflection [21, 17]. The image of the code 23 is read and the barcode data is transferred to an external device via the baggage detection controller 31.

When the reading of the barcode 23 is completed, the baggage detection controller 31 immediately outputs a control signal to the actuator drive circuit 32 in step 4, operates the actuator 33, and moves the mirror table 20 from the detection position to the non-detection position via the elevating member 19. to avoid colliding with the approaching cargo 14. Therefore, the luggage 14 passes over the dressing table 20 without colliding.

Then, when the luggage 14 that has passed over the dressing table 20 completely passes the separation detection sensor 27, the sensor 27 is turned off from on. In step 5, the baggage detection controller 31 determines that the baggage 14 has completely passed the distance detection sensor 27 based on this reversal from on to off, and proceeds to step 6. The baggage detection controller 31 outputs a control signal to the actuator drive circuit 32, activates the actuator 33, moves the mirror table 2° from the non-detection position upward to the detection position via the lifting member 19, and then issues a reading instruction in step 7. A control signal is output to the barcode reader 16, and in response to the instruction control signal, the reader 16 reads the image of the barcode 23 attached to the rear surface of the baggage 14 that is being guided through the reflecting mirror 22.18 and moving away. , and transfers the barcode data to an external device via the baggage detection controller 31.

When the reading of the barcode 23 is completed, the baggage detection controller 31 outputs a control signal to the actuator drive circuit 32 in step 8 to operate the actuator 33 and move the mirror table 20 from the detection position to the non-detection position via the elevating member 19. It is moved downward and stands by in preparation for detecting the next baggage 14.

In this way, in the baggage detection device of this embodiment, the main body such as the control box is installed below the roller conveyor, which solves the problem of securing installation space and is very advantageous in terms of effective use of space. becomes.

Further, in this embodiment, since the barcode reader 16 is located in the conveyance path, the barcode reader 16 is recognized so that the baggage 14 is placed on the roller conveyor with the surface with the barcode 23 attached to the baggage 14 facing the conveyance direction. There is no need to recognize which side the barcode reader is installed on and worry about which side the barcode side should face, unlike in the past. As a result, the efficiency of conveyance work will be improved.

Furthermore, in the case of this embodiment, since it is possible to read the barcode 23 on the misaligned surfaces of the approaching side (front surface) and the separating side (rear surface), the barcode can be placed on either the front side or the rear side. Even if the barcode 23 is attached, the barcode 23 attached to the baggage 14 can be reliably read.

Further, in the case of this embodiment, even when the cargo 14 is transported from the downstream side to the upstream side, the controller 3 responds to the sensors 26 and 27 in the same manner as shown in the flow chart above
1, the barcode 23 attached to the baggage 14 can be read in the same way.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. For convenience of explanation, parts common to those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and details thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 5, a rotating shaft 41 is rotatably supported between the auxiliary frames 12a, and a reflecting mirror 42 as an optical member, which is a double-sided mirror, is fixed to the rotating shaft 41. A rotating shaft 4I on one side of the reflecting mirror 42 is connected to a motor 43 constituting a guiding means installed on the upper surface of the control hox 15.
and is drivingly connected via a timing held 44.

When the motor 43 is rotationally controlled to force the reflecting mirror 42 from the space between the rollers 13 onto the upper cargo conveyance path and is tilted 45 degrees upstream (referred to as a first detection position),
An image of a barcode 23 attached to the surface (front surface) in the traveling direction of the approaching baggage 14 is guided to the barcode reader 16 via the reflecting mirror 17.

Furthermore, when the reflecting mirror 18 is tilted 45 degrees downstream (referred to as the second detection position), the image of the barcode 23 attached to the rear surface of the baggage 14 that is moving away is transmitted to the barcode reader via the reflecting mirror 18. Lead to 16. Furthermore, when the motor 43 is rotationally controlled to be horizontal (non-detection position), the reflecting mirror 42 is located below the upper end of the roller 13 and does not interfere with the conveyance of the cargo 14.

In this embodiment as well, the barcode 23 can be read by tilting the reflector 42 toward the approaching side when the package 14 approaches, and by tilting the reflector 42 toward the separating side when the package 14 is moving away. I can make it possible. Also, by making the reflector 42 horizontal, the baggage 1
4 can pass without colliding.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and may be implemented as follows.

(2) In the embodiment described above, the standby state is set to the non-detection position, but this may be changed so that the standby state is set to the detection position.

■ Although the actuator 33 that moves the mirror stand 20 up and down is not described in detail in the first embodiment, for example, a hydraulic cylinder may be used to move it up and down, an electric motor may be used to move it up and down, etc. The point is, anything is fine as long as it has a mechanism that allows it to move up and down.

(2) Also, in the above embodiment, the object to be detected is a bar code, but the object is not limited to this, and for example, numbers, symbols, marks, etc. may be used. In this case, the data reading device needs to use an image recognition device correspondingly.

(2) Further, in the above embodiment, the barcodes of the approaching and departing packages are read, or only one of them may be read.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to place the baggage on the conveyor without being particularly conscious of the direction in which the baggage is placed, and it is possible to improve work efficiency.
It has an excellent effect of contributing to effective use of space without taking up much space.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a baggage detection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of the baggage detection device, and FIG. 3 is an electric block circuit diagram of the baggage detection device. 4
The figure is a flowchart showing the operation of the baggage detection controller, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the baggage detection device of the second embodiment embodying the present invention, FIG. The figure shows a conventional baggage detection device. roller 13, luggage 14, barcode reader 16 as a data reading device, reflectors 17, 18 as optical members,
21, 42, an elevating member 19 as a guide means, a bar code 23 as a detected object, a passage detection sensor 26, 27 as a means for detecting the passage of a load, a load detection controller 31 as a control means, an actuator 3 forming a guide means.
3. Same motor 43°

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A load detection device of a conveyance device that reads objects to be detected attached to a load being conveyed by rolling rollers disposed side by side at predetermined intervals, comprising: a data reading device that reads data on the detected object; an optical member disposed between the rollers that guides an image of the detected object attached to the opposing surface of the baggage that is approaching or moving away to the data reading device; a guide means for guiding the optical member between a detected object detection position and a non-detection position that does not interfere with the conveyance of the load; and a position that is at least on the side where the load approaches the optical member and does not interfere with the conveyance of the load. A load detection device for a conveyance device, comprising: a load passage detection means installed in the load detection means; and a control means for controlling the position of an optical member via the guide means based on detection by the load detection means.