JPH06307917A - Charge balance - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a charge balance having high operability by providing a weighing pan part with a length/depth sensor and a height sensor thereby allowing the detection of external size and the weight of an article by simply mounting the article on the weighing pan. CONSTITUTION:A user of a postal charge balance 1 enlarges the movable pan part 13a at a weighing pan part while resisting against the urging force of a spring 17 and places a mail between the movable pan part 13a and a fixed pan part 13b. When the user leaves his hand from the pan part 13a, the spring 17 urges the pan part 13a toward the pan part 13b and the mail slips down on the inclining pan part 7 to abut eventually on a stopper 15 where the mail is positioned such that the external dimensions thereof can be measured. When the mail is lighter than 4kg, the charge balance 1 receives outputs from a transmission sensor and a reflection sensor 8a, 8b. If a decision is made that at least one of weight, length, width and thickness is not acceptable based on a detection signal from the sensor 8a, a LED 9b is lighted whereas a LED 9a is lighted when all conditions are acceptable and the postal charge is determined based on the weight of the mail.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a charge scale, such as a postage processing device, which performs processing for identifying a weight, size, and thickness of an object to be weighed to obtain a charge.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a first-class mail piece is classified into a fixed-size mail piece and a non-standard-size mail piece according to the size of the mail piece, and the charge for this mail piece is weight, width, length, and thickness. Three
Determined by the conditions. Further, the width, length and thickness are subdivided into regular shapes and non-standard shapes.

In a conventional postage processing apparatus for obtaining postage, a staff member measures the width, length, and thickness of the outer shape of a mail, and determines the width, length, and size of a fixed-size non-standard-size mail. After determining the size condition consisting of thickness (height), inputting the selection button for fixed and non-standard size mail on the equipment, and then placing the mail on the weighing section of the equipment The postage is calculated from the charge system table based on the measurement result and the input of the selection button.

[0004]

When the above-mentioned device is used, it is necessary for each member of staff to measure the size of the mail piece to determine whether it is a regular or non-standard size mail piece. It takes a long time, the work is troublesome, and a discrimination error is likely to occur, and an operation error at the time of key input based on the measurement is also likely to occur.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a charge scale that determines the weight and size of an object to be weighed placed on a weighing pan and obtains a charge based on the result of the identification.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a weighing section for weighing the object to be weighed placed on a weighing dish, and an object to be weighed provided on the weighing dish and placed on the weighing dish. A vertical / horizontal sensor for detecting vertical and horizontal sizes, a height sensor provided on the weighing pan section for detecting the height of an object to be weighed placed on the weighing pan section, and the object to be weighed by a detection signal of the vertical / horizontal sensor Vertical and horizontal identification means for identifying the vertical and horizontal, height identification means for identifying the height of the object to be measured by the detection signal of the height sensor, the weighted value of the object to be measured and the identification result of the vertical and horizontal identification means And a charge calculation means for calculating a charge based on the identification result of the height identification means, and a display unit for displaying the charge of the object to be weighed calculated by the charge calculation means.

[0007]

[Function] When the object to be weighed is placed on the weighing pan, the weighing unit measures the weight, and the height and width sensors detect the vertical and horizontal heights of the object to be measured. The means and the height identifying means identify the outer size of the object to be weighed. Then, the charge is calculated by the charge calculating means in accordance with the weight of the object to be weighed and the size of the height, width, height and outer shape, and the charge is displayed on the display unit.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The postage balance of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show a postage scale 1 for obtaining a first-class (envelope) charge for ordinary mail, and various messages are displayed as a display section 3 on a front panel 2 of the scale main body 1a. A message display 4 composed of a liquid crystal panel for displaying, a weight display 5 for displaying weight, and a charge display 6 for displaying postage are respectively arranged. The front panel 2 has a weighing pan 7 as will be described later.
Depending on whether the mail is a fixed form mail or a non-standard size mail, which is determined by each sensor 8 for detecting the outer dimensions of the mail piece, the light emitting diode 9a is turned on when the mail item is in a fixed size, and is turned on when the mail is out of the fixed size. LED consisting of light emitting diode 9b
A display unit 9 is provided, and a zero point key 10 for setting the display of the weight display 5 to zero is arranged.

As shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, the weighing pan portion 7 is opened at least on the front side, that is, on the front panel 2 side, and its longitudinal cross section has a substantially U-shaped shape. Vertical portions 11a and 11b formed of two plate-shaped members facing each other are formed on the outer surface, and the vertical portion 1 is formed at a lower portion of the vertical portion 11a at a right angle from the vertical portion 11a.
A plate-shaped horizontal portion 12a bent downward from 1b is provided, and a U-shaped horizontal portion 12b which is spaced apart and opposed to the horizontal portion 12a and which is viewed from the front is continuously provided below the vertical portion 11b. There is. Here, the vertical portion 11a and the horizontal portion 12a form a movable dish portion 13a, and the vertical portion 11b and the horizontal portion 12b form a fixed dish portion 13b. Also, the vertical portions 11a, 1
A notch 14 is provided on the front side edge of 1b so that the postal matter can be easily taken out, and a vertical portion 11a and a horizontal portion 12 are provided.
A stopper 15 having a width dimension of 1.0 cm is provided so as to project inward from the bent side of a. The vertical portions 11a, 1
Each 1b is formed by laminating two plates. Then, of these two plates, the vertical portions 11a and 11b
Hold each of the sensors 8 on the inner surface side opposite to each other, and serve as a cover on the outer surface side.

The entire weighing pan 7 is inclined toward the front so that the front side is lower. This is because when the mail piece is placed on the weighing pan portion 7, the inclination slides on the weighing pan portion 7 so that each sensor 8 can be easily positioned at a predetermined position for detecting the mail piece. Note that, in FIG. 2, each dimension indicated by A to D with respect to the reference line Y is A = 14.0 cm, B = 23.5 cm, C =
9.0 cm, D = 12.0 cm, and E for the reference line X
Each dimension of ~ G is E = 9.0cm, F = 12.0cm, G =
It is 14.0 cm.

Reference numeral 16 indicates a fixed plate portion 1 as shown in FIG.
3b is a guide rail provided along the inner surface side of the horizontal portion 12b of the movable plate portion 13b for allowing the movable dish portion 13a to move horizontally with respect to the fixed dish portion 13b. Is urged by the spring 17 in the direction toward the fixed dish 13b. Then, when no postal matter is placed, the opposed vertical portions 11a, 11
1.0 cm is opened by the stopper 15 between b. Then, on the lower surface of the horizontal portion 12b of the fixed tray portion 13b, a column 19 for transmitting the weight to the balance portion 18 (shown in FIG. 4) in the balance main body 1a is provided, and the input / output of each sensor 8 is provided. A printed circuit board 20 for controlling the above is provided.

Each of the sensors 8 has nine transmissive optical sensors S1 to S9 provided with a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion as vertical and horizontal sensors on the inner surfaces of the vertical portions 11a and 11b as shown by the broken lines in FIG. (Hereinafter referred to as a transmission sensor) is arranged, and the length, that is, the length A and the width, that is the width E, can detect the minimum size (12.0 cm x 9.0 cm) of the outer shape of the fixed-size mail, and the length. A size larger than the maximum size (23.5 cm × 12.0 cm) of the outer shape of the fixed-size mail is detected by B and width F. That is, when detected only by the sensors S1 to S4, it is a fixed-size mail item, and the sensor S5 other than the sensors S1 to S4.
When detected in S9 to S9, the sensors S1 to S9 are used to recognize that non-standard-size mail and nonstandard mail or mail are not correctly placed depending on the detection states of the sensors S5 to S9. It is arranged.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3, two reflection type optical sensors (hereinafter referred to as reflection sensors) 8a and 8b for detecting the thickness of the mail as height sensors provided inside the horizontal portion 12b. And are provided. The one reflection sensor 8a is provided on the horizontal portion 12a when the distance between the vertical portions 11a and 11b facing each other is 1.0 cm.
Of the second mark (not shown) provided on the horizontal portion 12a when the distance is 4.0 cm.
Detect the mark. The data is transmitted from the printed circuit board 20 to the balance main body 1a by, for example, an optical connector (not shown) provided on the printed circuit board 20 and the balance main body 1a.
An optical connector (not shown) provided inside the sensor main body 1a takes in the detection output of each sensor 8.

FIG. 4 is an electric block diagram of the postage balance 1, in which the CPU 30 is connected to the ROM 3 via the bus line 31.
2, the RAM 33, the key controller 34, the balance unit 18, the display controller 35, and the sensor controller 36 are connected.

The ROM 32 stores a program for executing the processes shown in the flow chart described later, a charge table for determining postal charges (not shown), etc., and the RAM 3
3 includes weight data, charge data and message display 4
A work area (not shown) and the like for temporarily storing the message to be displayed on the screen are formed. Key controller 3
3 transmits the input of the zero point key 10 to the CPU, and the display controller 35 controls the display unit 3 and the LED display unit 9 to perform display on these display units 3 and at the same time, the light emitting diodes 9a and 9b. Lights up selectively. Further, the sensor controller 36 inputs the output of each sensor 8 including the transmission sensors S1 to S9 and the reflection sensors 8a and 8b provided on the weighing pan 7.

Next, the processing performed by the electronic postage balance 1 will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. First, in step 1 (indicated as ST1 in the figure), the weight of the mail piece placed on the weighing pan portion 7 is measured by the balance portion 18, and in step 2, it is determined whether the weight is 4 kg or less. When the weight is 4 kg or more, this mail is out of the standard, so in step 3, the message "This mail is out of the standard. Please contact the window." Is displayed on the message display 4.

When the weight of the postal matter is 4 kg or less, the weight of the postal matter is displayed on the weight display 5 in step 4, and the outputs of the transmission sensors S1 to S9 and the reflection sensors 8a and 8b are displayed in step 5. Take in. And step 6
Is used to judge whether or not the mail piece is correctly placed on the weighing pan 7, and when a part of the mail piece is placed on the stopper 15 or when the longitudinal direction of the mail piece is placed substantially vertically, In other words, when it is not placed correctly, such as when it is placed vertically, the message "Please put the mail correctly" is displayed on the message display 4 in step 7. The details of the criteria for determining the size of the postal matter placed on the weighing pan 7 will be described later. If it is determined in step 6 that the mail piece is correctly placed, it is determined in step 8 which is the vertical / horizontal identification means whether the length and width of the mail piece is out of the standard range, and the size is out of the standard range. If there is, the message display process of step 3 described above is performed.

If the size of the mail is within the standard in step 8, the weight of the mail is 50 g in step 9.
All the conditions are determined by determining whether the length and width of the postal matter have a fixed size in step 10 which is the vertical / horizontal identification means or whether the thickness of the postal matter is 1.0 cm or less in step 11 which is the height identification means. If the above condition applies, in step 12, the light emitting diode 9a indicating that the fixed form mail is a fixed form mail is turned on, and if any of step 9, step 10 or step 11 does not apply, the non-standard size light emission is shown in step 13. The diode 9b is turned on. Then, depending on the weight of the postal matter and the fixed or non-fixed condition, the corresponding charge is read out from the charge table stored in advance in step 14 which is the charge calculating means to obtain the postage, and step 15 Then, the postage is displayed on the charge display 6.

The operation process for obtaining the postage of the mail will be described below with reference to Table 1. In Table 1, black circles indicate the states when the transmission sensors S1 to S9 detect the postal matter, and white circles indicate the states when they do not detect the postal matter.

[0021]

[Table 1]

First, the user of the postage balance 1 spreads the movable dish portion 13a of the weighing dish portion 7 against the urging force of the spring 17 and places it between the movable dish portion 13a and the fixed dish portion 13b. Place mail. When the user releases his / her hand from the movable tray portion 13a, the movable tray portion 13a moves toward the fixed tray portion 13b by the urging force of the spring 17, and the mail strikes the stopper 15 due to the inclination of the weighing tray portion 7. It slides toward the front and is positioned at a predetermined position where the external dimensions can be measured. This postage scale 1 judges whether the weight of the postal matter is 4 Kg or less, and if it is more than 4 Kg, it cannot be handled by this postal scale, so the message display 4 says "It is a nonstandard mail. Please contact the window. Is displayed. 4 kg
For the following mail items, the outputs of the transmission sensors S1 to S9 and the reflection sensors 8a and 8b are received. If it is determined that the output of the transmission sensors S1 to S9 is in the "replacement of the mail item" shown in Table 1, the message display 4 displays "Please place the mail item correctly." Further, when the outputs of the transmission sensors S1 to S9 correspond to “nonstandard” shown in Table 1 or when the reflection sensor 8b detects, that is, the length and width of the postal matter are too small, or the thickness is 4. If it exceeds 0 cm, it is a postal item that cannot be handled by this postal scale, and the message display 4 displays "The mail is out of the standard. Please contact the counter."

Next, it is judged whether the size of the mail is 50 g or less, and if it is 50 g or less, it corresponds to the "standard size" of Table 1 in order to judge whether the size of the mail is a fixed size mail. Whether or not to do so, that is, a minimum size of 9.0 cm × 14.
It is determined whether the mail is 0 cm or more and the maximum is 12.0 cm x 23.5 cm or less, and whether there is no detection signal from the reflection sensor 8a, that is, whether the thickness is 1.0 cm or less. If any one of the three conditions of weight, length, width, and thickness is determined to be non-defective, then it is determined as non-standard-sized mail, the light-emitting diode 9b is turned on, and if all three conditions are met, the standard-size is determined. Light up the light emitting diode 9a for mail,
The postage is calculated from the weight of the mail.

As described above, the size of the outer shape such as the length, width and thickness of the mail piece is measured on the weighing pan 7 by the weighing pan 7.
Since the postage is calculated from the size and weight of the outer shape measured by each sensor 8 provided in, the mistake of measuring the outer size is eliminated and the trouble of measuring the mail with a ruler or the like is troublesome. Therefore, it is possible to provide a postage scale that is extremely easy to operate and has no operating costs.

In this embodiment, an optical sensor is used to detect the size of the postal matter.
Each sensor 8 may be replaced with an optical sensor, and a sensor using a mechanical sensor such as a micro switch may be used. Further, since the postage regulation does not determine that the thickness of the postal matter exceeds 1.0 cm, a postal scale without the sensor 8b for detecting the thickness of 4.0 cm may be used.

Further, in this embodiment, the description has been given with respect to the postage scale, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to a charge scale for obtaining a charge according to the size and weight of the outer shape of the object to be weighed.

[0027]

According to the present invention, since the vertical and horizontal sensors and the height sensor are provided in the weighing pan, the external size and weight of the object to be weighed can be detected only by placing the object to be weighed on the weighing pan. Since it is a charge balance that calculates the charge from the size and weight, there is no need to measure the object to be measured with a ruler, etc.
In addition, it is possible to provide a charge balance with good operability without any key input error.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an electrical block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Postal charge scale 3 Display section 7 Weighing pan section S1 to S9 Vertical / horizontal sensors 9a, 9b Height sensor 18 Scale section 30 CPU ST8, ST10 Vertical / horizontal identification means ST11 Height identification means ST14 Charge calculation means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A weighing unit for weighing the object to be weighed placed on the weighing dish, and a vertical and horizontal direction for detecting the vertical and horizontal sizes of the object to be weighed placed on the weighing dish and placed on the weighing dish. A sensor, a height sensor provided on the weighing pan section for detecting the height of the object to be weighed placed on the weighing pan section, and a vertical / horizontal identification means for identifying the vertical and horizontal directions of the object to be weighed by the detection signals of the vertical / horizontal sensor. A height identifying means for identifying the height of the object to be weighed based on a detection signal of the height sensor, a weighted value of the object to be weighed, an identification result of the vertical and horizontal identifying means, and an identification result of the height identifying means. A charge balance, comprising: a charge calculation unit for calculating a charge based on the above; and a display unit for displaying the charge of the object to be measured calculated by the charge calculation unit.