JPH09259217A - Code reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate a defect in read by blowing air to a sensor surface of the code reader, or making water flow on the sensor surface, blowing air, and drying the sensor surface. SOLUTION: For a bar code reader 11 arranged with its sensor surface up among plural bar code readers 7, an air nozzle 12 having its tip directed to the sensor surface is arranged from an outside part so that it will not be an obstacle on an optical axis L, and this air nozzle 12 is supplied with air from a main air pipe connected to a compressor through a manual check valve and a 2-port, 2-position selector valve 15. Namely, the selector valve 15 is turned on when a roller conveyor device 4 is placed in operation to supply the air to the air nozzle 12, and the air is blown to the sensor surface 11A, which is cleaned. Consequently, dust accompanying the conveyance of a load is prevented from being accumulated on the sensor surface 11A to prevent the bar code reader 11 from being disable to make a read.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a code reading device for reading a code attached to a load being conveyed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A code reader used in the above code reading apparatus is arranged so as to face a code attached to a load being conveyed, emits a beam to the code, and scans the code. Recognize the code at. However, if the load is roll-shaped, it is difficult to place the load in a certain direction on the transport path, and therefore the code passes without facing the code reader and the code cannot be read. .

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a roll-shaped load 2 having a code label 1 on which a bar code is printed as a code is attached to drive a roller 3 having a lower central portion. There has been proposed a device capable of reading the bar code on the code label 1 while being horizontally conveyed in a fixed direction by the method of FIG.

This reading device is provided with a cylindrical main body 6 which is supported by a stand 5 and penetrates the roller conveyor 4 so that the center of the load 2 is at the center position, and the load is provided around the inner wall of the main body 6. 38 bar code readers 7 are arranged to face the load 2 on the radiation from the center of 2. The barcode reader 7 emits a beam to the code label 1 and a sensor (scanner) for scanning,
It is composed of a decoder that detects and outputs a code from the arrangement (pattern) of the bar and space of the code detected by the sensor.

According to this code reading device, regardless of the position of the code label 1 on the side surface of the load 2, the bar code is always read and discriminated by one bar code reader 7, and the load 2 is confirmed. can do.

[0006]

However, in the conventional code reading device, in the bar code reader 7 in which the sensor surface of the bar code reader 7 is facing upward, dust is accumulated on the sensor surface when the load 2 is conveyed and the reading is performed. There is a problem that can not be done. Further, even if trouble occurs in 38 barcode readers 7, it is difficult to judge which barcode reader 7 is defective, and it takes a lot of time for maintenance, which is a heavy burden on workers. . In addition, the roll-shaped load 2 is attached to the barcode reader 7
When executing the branch (or sorting) immediately after passing the main body 6 by discriminating the barcode read by, the branch (or sorting) is performed due to the delay in reading / determining the barcode.
Sometimes did not run.

[0007] The present invention is to solve the above problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a code reading device that eliminates the cause of troubles in the code reader and facilitates the finding of a defective code reader.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, a code reading apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention conveys a roll-shaped load, to which a code is attached, in a certain direction, while irradiating radiation from the center of the load. A code reading device for reading the code by a plurality of code readers arranged facing each other around a load, the code reader being arranged with the sensor surface of the code reader facing upward, and cleaning the sensor surface. It is characterized by having a device.

[0009] Here, the cleaning device is a device for continuously blowing air on the sensor surface of the code reader during operation, or pouring water on the sensor surface every predetermined time after waiting for a load to pass. This is a device for applying and drying, and it is possible to prevent dust from accumulating on the sensor surface due to transportation of a load, and prevent reading failure.

Further, the code reading device of the second invention is arranged so as to oppose the periphery of the load on a line radiating from the center of the load while transporting the roll-shaped load having the code in a certain direction. A code reading device for reading the code with a plurality of code readers, comprising a monitoring device for inputting a code reading signal of each code reader, counting the number of readings for each code reader, and displaying the number of readings. It is characterized by.

Here, the monitoring device counts a code read signal continuously input and displays it, or a microcomputer for inputting and counting the code read signal and a count value output from this microcomputer. It is determined that the code reader, which is a device including a monitor for displaying and has a small number of readings, may be defective.

Further, the code reading apparatus of the third invention is
In the code reading device according to the second aspect of the invention, the monitoring device displays the arrangement position of each code reader centering on the load at each position on the circumference, and the code reader of each code reader with respect to the number of times of reading. It is characterized in that the rate of the number of readings is obtained, the point of the rate is obtained at the coordinates of 0 to 100% provided in the radial direction of the circle for each code reader, and the adjacent points are connected and displayed in order. is there.

With the above configuration, the reading rate with respect to the total number of readings of each code reader is displayed on the coordinates, so that a code reader having a low rate is discriminated at first glance, and the code reader may be defective. It is judged that there is.

A code reading device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the code reading device according to any of the first to third aspects of the invention, wherein the code is attached to the front end of the load carrying direction. To do.

With the above structure, the load code is attached to the tip of the load, so that the code reader can read and determine the code before the transit time of the load.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the same components as those of the conventional example shown in FIG.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the code reading device, and FIG.
6 is a side view. Of the 38 bar code readers 7, the 6 bar code readers 11 arranged with the sensor surface facing upward should not interfere with the optical axis L as shown in FIG. An air nozzle 12 with its tip facing from the outer side to the sensor surface 11A is arranged.
Air is supplied from a main air pipe 13 connected to a compressor (not shown) through a manual stop valve 14 and a 2-port 2-position switching valve 15. The switching valve 15 is a roller conveyor device 4
When activated, the air is turned on and the air is turned on by the air nozzle 12
Is supplied to the sensor surface 11A, so that air is blown onto the sensor surface 11A for cleaning, and dust that accompanies the transportation of a load is prevented from accumulating on the sensor surface 11A, and therefore the bar code reader 11 is prevented from being improperly read. You can

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the code label 1
Is attached to the leading end portion (for example, within 20 cm from the leading end) of the roll-shaped load 2 in the transport direction, and the bar code readers 7 and 11 are attached to the code label 1 before the passage time of the load 2 through the body 6. Barcodes can be read and identified. Therefore, even when the load 2 branches according to the bar code immediately after passing, it is possible to avoid the problem that the bar code cannot be branched due to the delay in reading / determining the bar code.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, on the side portion of the main body 6, a monitoring device 20 having a controller 21 composed of a microcomputer having a communication function, a monitor (CRT) 22, and a keyboard 23. Is provided. As shown in FIG. 4, the controller 21 includes a communication means 25 connected to 38 bar code readers 7 and 11 via a communication cable 24.
And a counter section 26 for counting the number of times the code information transmitted to the communication means 25 is input, that is, the number of times the code is read by each of the bar code readers 7 and 11, and information on the preset screen format data. An image display unit 27 that adds data and converts it into a video signal and outputs the video signal to the monitor 22, and the code information input from the communication unit 25 is output as a code signal to the carrier device and the communication unit 25
A control unit 28 that controls the counter unit 26 and the image display unit 27
It is composed of A keyboard 23 is also connected to the overall control unit 28. In addition, the bar code reader 7,11
As a data transmission method between the communication means 25 and the communication means 25, for example, R
S232C is used.

Among the functions of the integrated control unit 28, the state monitoring operation of the bar code readers 7 and 11 will be described with reference to FIGS. In the initial state, the image display unit 27 displays the initial menu screen on the monitor 22.

First, when "bar code reader (BCR) status monitoring" is selected by the function key f1 of the keyboard 23 based on the initial menu screen shown in FIG. 6A, it is counted in the counter section 26. The reading count value of each bar code reader 7 and 11 is added to obtain the total count value, and the reading count value of each bar code reader 7 and 11 is divided by this total count value to read rate (read rate%). Is calculated, and the read rate is subtracted from 100% to obtain the no-read rate, and then a command signal for displaying the “bar code reader status monitoring” screen on the image display unit 27 and each of the bar code readers 7 as information data. ，
The count value of 11, the read rate, the no-read rate, and the total count value are output.

The image display unit 27 adds the above-mentioned information data to the format data of the "bar code reader status monitoring" screen, converts it into a video signal and outputs it to the monitor 22, and the bar code reader status monitoring screen {Fig. 6 (b)} is displayed.

When the end signal is input by the function key f10 of the keyboard 23 on the bar code reader status monitor screen, a command signal for displaying the initial menu screen is output to the image display unit 27 to display the initial menu screen. .

The bar code reader status monitoring screen shown in FIG. 6 (b) displays the read count values of the bar code readers 7 and 11 as a list and displays the total count value and the radar chart in the center. There is. This radar chart draws a concentric inner circle and an outer circle, and attaches the unique numbers of the barcode readers 7 and 11 on the outer circumference of the outer circle according to the positions arranged on the main body 6, and the numbers of the outer circle. A line is drawn from the position of (bar code reader 7, 11) toward the center to the inner circle, and the coordinates are set on this line with 0% on the inner circle and 100% on the outer circle. 11 points of lead rate / no-lead rate are obtained, and adjacent lead rate points and no-lead rate points are connected to each other. In the radar chart, the solid line is the lead rate,
The broken line shows the no-lead rate.

Thus, by displaying the lead rate / no-read rate of each bar code reader 7, 11 on the radar chart, it is possible to find the bar code readers 7, 11 with a poor read rate at first glance. Code reader 7,
It can be judged that 11 may be defective.
Therefore, the maintenance of 38 barcode readers 7 and 11 can be facilitated, and it is possible to provide equipment that can always read the barcode accurately. Further, the bar code readers 7 and 11 having a poor read rate can be found also from the list of the read count values of the bar code readers 7 and 11, and the bar code readers 7 and 11 may be defective. You can judge.

It should be noted that each bar code reader 7, 11 is simply
A separate counter device can be used if it only needs to determine the read count value of the and display the count value.

Further, in the above embodiment, the cleaning device is constituted by a device for blowing air, but in addition to the air nozzle 12, a spray nozzle for jetting water to the sensor surface 11A is arranged, After passing the load 2, water may be sprayed on the sensor surface 11A for a predetermined time, and then air may be blown to dry the sensor surface 11A.

Although a bar code is taken as an example of the code, it is also possible to detect another code, such as a Carla code or a number.

[0029]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, the cleaning apparatus blows air on the sensor surface of the code reader, or water is flowed on the sensor surface, and air is blown to dry it. It is possible to prevent dust from accumulating on the sensor surface due to transportation of a load, and prevent reading failure.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the count value of the code reading signal for each code reader is displayed on the monitoring device, so that it is possible to judge that the bar code reader having a small number of readings may be defective. Therefore, it is possible to provide a facility that can easily perform maintenance and can always read an accurate code.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the rate of reading with respect to the total number of readings of each code reader is displayed on the coordinates, so that the code reader having a low rate can be discriminated at a glance, and the code reader is defective. It can be determined that there is a possibility of.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, since the load code is attached to the tip of the load, the code reader can identify the code before the load transit time of the load device.
Even if the load branches according to the code immediately after passing, it is possible to avoid the problem that the branch cannot be branched due to the delay in reading / determining the code.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a code reading device showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the code reading device.

FIG. 3 is an air piping diagram of the code reading device.

FIG. 4 is a control configuration diagram of the code reading device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a controller of the code reading device.

FIG. 6 is a screen view displayed on a monitor of the code reading device.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a conventional code reading device.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a conventional code reading device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Code Label 2 Load 3 Roller 4 Roller Conveyor 5 Stand 6 Body 7, 11 Bar Code Reader (Code Reader) 12 Air Nozzle 13 Main Air Piping 14 Manual Stop Valve 15 Switching Valve 20 Monitoring Device 21 Controller 22 Monitor 23 Keyboard L Optical Axis

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. The code is read by a plurality of code readers arranged facing each other around the load on the radiation from the center of the load while transporting the load in the form of a roll in a certain direction. A code reading device, wherein a code reader arranged with the sensor surface of the code reader facing upward is provided with a cleaning device for cleaning the sensor surface. 2. The code is read by a plurality of code readers arranged facing each other around the load on the radiation from the center of the load while transporting the roll-shaped load having the code in a certain direction. A code reading device, comprising a monitoring device for inputting a code reading signal from each of the code readers, counting the number of readings for each code reader, and displaying the number of readings. 3. The code reading device according to claim 2, wherein the monitoring device displays the arrangement position of each code reader centered on the load at each position on the circumference, and the number of reading times of all code readers. The ratio of the number of readings of each code reader is calculated for each code reader, and 0 is set for each code reader in the radial direction of the circle.
It is characterized in that a point having the above-mentioned rate is obtained at a coordinate of -100% and adjacent points are connected and displayed in order. 4. The code reading device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the code is attached to a front end portion in the conveyance direction of the load.