JPH11299632A - Baggage sensor of automatic control locker device of baggage - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To widen a baggage detection range in a locker box, hardly generate detection miss and make a baggage sensor comparatively inexpensive by transmitting a signal of the absence of baggage when all the reflective type optical sensors receive light and a signal of the presence of baggage when any one of reflective type optical sensors does not receive light to a control part. SOLUTION: Irradiating light 401 emitted from a light projecting element 131 linearly irradiates in an axial direction of a slit hole 112 and reflects at a point 311 on a reflective tape 301, and reflected light 402 passes a slit hole 111 and is received by a light receiving element 141. In the same way, irradiating light 403, 405, 407, 409 from light projecting elements 132 to 135 reflects at points 312 to 315 on the reflective tape 301, and reflected light 404, 406, 408, 410 is received by light receiving elements 143 to 145. When the light receiving elements 141 to 145 receive light, it is judged that baggage does not exist in a locker box and a signal of the absence of baggage is transmitted to a control part. When any one of the light receiving elements 141 to 145 does not receive light, it is judged that one baggage exists and a signal of the absence of the baggage is transmitted to the control part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a luggage sensor for an automatic luggage management locker device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automatic locker device for managing luggage and the like usually includes one control device and a plurality of locker boxes, and each locker box has no luggage therein. Is provided with a luggage sensor for detecting the load. Hereinafter, a conventional luggage sensor and its problems will be described.

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan layout view of a conventional luggage sensor 1. A door 700 opened and closed by an electronic lock (not shown) is provided on the front surface of the locker box. Other surfaces of the locker box include a right side surface 703, a back surface 701, a left side surface 702, and a shelf plate 7.
04 and an upper shelf (not shown). A projector 11 of the transmission type optical sensor is arranged at a center position between the back side and the near side of the right side surface 703, and a light receiver 12 of the transmission type optical sensor is arranged at a center position between the back side and the near side of the left side surface 702. The infrared or red light 450 is running from the light projector 11 to the light receiver 12. When the luggage is stored in the locker box, infrared light or red light is blocked by the luggage, and the light receiver cannot receive light for a predetermined time.

[0004] However, there is a problem that if the luggage is placed at a position other than the traveling line of the infrared light or the red light, the infrared light or the red light is not blocked. In addition, since the traveling portion of the infrared light or the red light is linear, there is a problem that the detectable area is narrow.

Conventional luggage sensor 2 FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of a conventional luggage sensor 2.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line AA 'of FIG. An opening 516 is provided in the center of the shelf 704 forming the lower surface of the locker box.
Are provided, and projections 517, 518, 51
9 and 520 are formed, and a reflection type optical sensor or a diffuse reflection type optical sensor 13 is arranged below the opening 710. The reflection type optical sensor or the diffuse reflection type optical sensor has a structure in which a light projecting element and a light receiving element are arranged adjacent to each other or a structure in which a light projecting element and a light receiving element are integrated. And luggage 1
When 0 is placed on the reflection type optical sensor or the diffuse reflection type optical sensor 13, the light emitted from the light emitting element hits the package and is reflected and incident on the light receiving element to detect the reflected light. In this way, the baggage is detected, and a baggage presence signal is transmitted.

However, if a load is placed at a position other than the reflection type sensor or the diffuse reflection type optical sensor, there is a problem that the light receiving element cannot detect the reflected light. And
There is a problem that the detectable area of the reflection type optical sensor or the diffuse reflection type optical sensor is point-like and extremely narrow.

Further, the reflectivity of light differs depending on the surface color of the package, and the intensity of the reflected light changes. For example, a package having a black surface hardly reflects even if it is hit by light, and enters the light receiving element. The amount of reflected light is too small to be detected. That is, there is a problem that the detection sensitivity varies depending on the surface color of the package and is not constant.

[0008] Further, if the package is brought into close contact with the light emitting element and the light receiving element, the reflected light cannot be detected. Therefore, there is a problem that it is necessary to maintain a certain clearance between the luggage and the reflection type optical sensor or the diffuse reflection type optical sensor. Therefore, the projections 711, 712,
713 and 714 are provided.

Further, if the automatic locker device for managing luggage and the like has been used for many years, dust and dirt adhere to the lens of the reflection type optical sensor or the diffuse reflection type optical sensor, and the emitted light and the reflected light become difficult to pass through. There is a problem that sufficient reflected light is not incident on the element and a signal indicating that there is no luggage is transmitted even if luggage is placed.

FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a conventional luggage sensor 3.
A light projector 16 in which seven light emitting elements 161 to 167 are arranged on a straight line at equal intervals is arranged on the right side surface 703. A light receiver 17 in which seven light receiving elements 171 to 177 are arranged on a straight line at equal intervals is arranged on the left side surface 702. Each light emitting element 1
Infrared light or red light runs parallel to each other from 61 to 167 to each light receiving element 171 to 177.

According to this conventional luggage sensor 3, the detectable area extends over almost the entire range of the locker box.
This is a problem because the cost of the luggage sensor increases.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a new luggage sensor that solves the above-mentioned problems.

[0013]

An object of the present invention is to provide a luggage sensor for an automatic luggage management locker device according to the present invention, that is, a luggage automatic management locker having a control unit and a plurality of locker boxes. A plurality of reflective optical sensors are arranged on one of the left and right sides of each locker box of the apparatus, and a plurality of reflective plates or reflective tapes are arranged on the other side, and each reflective optical sensor is provided with a corresponding reflective optical sensor. A plate or reflective tape is irradiated with light, and the reflected light is arranged so that the reflected light sensor can receive the light.When all the reflected light sensors are receiving light, the luggage is stored in the locker box. It is determined that there is no baggage, and a signal indicating that there is no baggage is transmitted to the control unit. On the other hand, when any one of the reflection type optical sensors does not receive light, it is determined that there is baggage in the locker box, The luggage sensor baggage automatic management rocker unit originating the signal Monoyu to the control unit, is achieved.

In a preferred embodiment of the luggage sensor of the automatic luggage management locker device according to the present invention, claim 2 is provided.
As described in the above, each reflective optical sensor has a light emitting element and a light receiving element, the light emitting element is driven with a predetermined pulse waveform,
A red LED or an infrared LED that outputs modulated light.

In a preferred embodiment of the luggage sensor of the locker device for automatically managing luggage and the like according to the present invention, as described in claim 3, each of the reflection-type optical sensors is a circle sufficiently deeper than the hole diameter. Two columnar slit holes are formed close to and parallel to each other, a small-diameter light emitting element is arranged behind the one slit hole, and a small-diameter light receiving element is arranged behind the other slit hole. Light emitted from the light emitting element and projected along the axial direction of the one slit hole is reflected by a reflector or a reflective tape, and is incident light when received by the light receiving element at the back of the other slit hole. And the angle formed by the reflected light is 0.
5 ° or less.

In a preferred embodiment of the luggage sensor of the automatic luggage management locker device according to the present invention, the light receiving element is a phototransistor or a photodiode.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, an embodiment of a luggage sensor of an automatic luggage management locker device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are a horizontal sectional view and a plan view of an embodiment of a luggage sensor according to the present invention, respectively. The optical sensor 1 is obtained by incorporating five pairs of reflective optical sensors into the optical holder 101, all the reflective optical sensors are arranged in a horizontal plane, and the angle (tilt angle) θ between each optical sensor and the normal line.
1, θ2, θ3, θ4, θ5 are 110 °, 1
The angles were 20 °, 90 °, 80 °, and 70 °, and the pitches P1, P2, P3, and P4 between the optical sensors were kept constant at 37 mm. The reflection-type optical sensor includes light-emitting elements 131, 132, 13
3, 134, 135 and light receiving elements 141, 142, 14
3, 144, and 145. An infrared or red LED or the like can be used as the light emitting element, and a PT (phototransistor), a photodiode, or the like can be used as the light receiving element. The optical holder 101 is made of resin such as ABS, and is mounted on a shelf plate in a locker box by screws (not shown) inserted into the mounting holes 102 and 103.
It is attached in contact with the center between the back and front of the left side. All the light emitting elements and the light receiving elements are mounted on the printed circuit board 150 together with the drive circuit components, and are connected.

The optical holder 101 has slit holes 111, 112, 113, 1 extending in a direction substantially equal to the inclination angle.
14, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 12
0 is formed, and the slit holes 112, 114, 11
6, 118, and 120, light projecting elements 131, 132,
133, 134, 135 are attached, and light receiving elements 141, 142, 143, 144, 145 are attached to the rear ends of the slit holes 111, 113, 115, 117, 119. The pitch between the slit holes 111 and 112,
Pitch between slit holes 113 and 114, slit hole 11
The pitch between 5 and 116, the pitch between slit holes 117 and 118, and the pitch between slit holes 119 and 120 are P5, P6, P7P8, and P9, respectively.

The reflection tape 301 extends horizontally and slightly above the shelf on the right side, which is the opposite side. The reflective tape is made of the same material as that used for a display board installed on a road, and has a property of reflecting light in a light incident direction. In the present embodiment, a large number of fine rectangular prisms are assembled and formed.

In order to prevent the reflection efficiency from deteriorating due to the properties of the reflective tape, the pitches P5, P
6, P7, P8, P9 are θ6, θ7, θ8, θ9, θ
It is necessary to reduce the size so that each of them becomes 0.5 ° or less. In this embodiment, a small phototransistor and an LED are used.

Irradiation light 401 emitted from the light projecting element 131
Is irradiated linearly in the axial direction of the slit hole 112, is reflected at a point 311 on the reflective tape 301, and the reflected light 402 passes through the slit hole 111 and is received by the light receiving element 141.
Similarly, the irradiation lights 403, 405, 407, and 409 from the light projecting elements 132, 133, 134, and 135 are reflected at points 312, 313, 314, and 315 on the reflective tape 301, and the reflected lights 404, 406, and 408, 410 is received by the light receiving elements 142, 143, 144, and 145.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a state where the luggage sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a locker box.
The optical sensor 1 is mounted on a shelf 704 in contact with the left side of the locker box. The cover 720 is used as a blindfold so that the sensor, the wiring, and the like cannot be seen from the outside.
Is attached parallel to the left side. An opening 723 is formed in the cover 720, and irradiation light and reflected light pass through the opening 723.

When a package having a high reflectance is placed in the immediate vicinity of the reflection type optical sensor, light emitted from the light emitting element is reflected on the surface of the package, and the reflected light is received by the light receiving element. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a long slit hole is formed to sharpen the directionality of the irradiation light, and unnecessary light from the periphery is prevented from being mixed. In this embodiment, the optical sensor is arranged at the back of the cover, and the distance between the package and the optical sensor is set to 3 mm or more. Preferably, if the luggage and the optical sensor are separated by 18 mm or more, erroneous determination hardly occurs.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan layout view of an embodiment of the luggage sensor of the automatic luggage management locker device of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, in the baggage sensor according to the present embodiment, the size of the undetectable baggage is φ140 mm, and most of the actual articles are box-shaped and larger, so that most of the baggage is practically detected. can do.

It should be noted that the left and right sides of the embodiment may be reversed so that the optical sensor is mounted on the right side and the reflection tape is mounted on the left side.

Next, the operation of the circuit in the luggage sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a circuit in the luggage sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 shows operation waveforms of respective blocks of the circuit in the luggage sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

This circuit includes a constant voltage circuit, a reference oscillator, two pulse oscillators, two LED lighting circuits, five PT output voltage detection circuits (S1 to S5), an OR circuit, and an open collector transistor. A sensor power supply voltage (for example, DC 24 V) is input to the constant voltage circuit,
The voltage is converted into a TTL level voltage (for example, DC 5 V) for driving an LED, a PT, an IC, and the like, and supplied to each circuit.
The reference oscillator generates a reference oscillation waveform (waveform 901). This waveform 901 branches into two, one of which is directly input to the pulse oscillator 1 and the other is input to the pulse oscillator 2 through an inverter (inverting circuit). A waveform 902 (φ1) is output from the pulse oscillator 1 and a waveform 903 (φ2) is output from the other pulse oscillator 2, respectively.
And the waveform 903 are 180 ° out of phase. Each LED1
5 are driven by a pulse waveform, and as a result, modulated light (pulsed light) that can be clearly distinguished from DC light such as sunlight is output.

The pulse of the waveform 902 (φ1) is an LED
1, LED3 and LED5 are turned on, and the waveform 903 (φ
The pulse 2) turns on the LEDs 2 and 4 and is applied as a synchronization signal of the synchronization circuit.
As described above, the pulse of φ1 and the pulse of φ2 are added as the synchronization signal of the synchronization circuit, so that PT2 and LE2 are located between PT1 and LED2, as shown by the dotted line in FIG.
D3, PT3 and LED4, PT4 and LED
5 can be avoided.

Next, a process of detecting a package using the combination of LED1, PT1, and R will be described. This combination is driven by the LED lighting circuit 1 and the detection circuit S1. S1 is a DC cut circuit, a comparator,
It is composed of a synchronization circuit, a detection integration circuit, and a waveform shaping circuit.

When a pulse (waveform 902) of φ1 is applied to the LED via the LED lighting circuit 1, it is converted into light, and LE
A light beam is emitted from D1, reflected on the reflection tape R, and incident on the phototransistor PT1.

At the same time, light (dotted line) from the LED 2 driven by the φ2 pulse (waveform 903) is incident on the PT1. As a result, a signal (waveform 904) corresponding to φ1 and φ2 out of phase by 180 ° is output from PT1.

As described above, since the PT1 is used in combination with the LED1 and the R, the optical beam B2 from the LED2 is prevented from directly entering the PT1 optically (to reduce the influence), as shown in FIG. First, the PT1 is placed behind the slit hole of the optical holder. Other PTs are also arranged in the back of the slit hole.

Therefore, when there is no luggage, the signal voltage (A) corresponding to φ1 (waveform 902) of the waveform 904 is high, and
The signal voltage (B) corresponding to φ2 (waveform 903) decreases.

Further, when there is luggage, φ1 (waveform 90
The voltage level (C) corresponding to 2) is considerably lower than the voltage (A) when there is no luggage. The reason is that the light beam B1 directly hits the baggage and is reflected. In this case, the light amount is reduced as compared with the case where the light beam B1 is reflected and incident on the reflection tape R. The voltage (D) corresponding to φ2 (waveform 903) disappears because the light beam B2 is blocked by the load, and becomes OV.

On the other hand, when the gap between the door and the cabinet or the door is opened, DC light (disturbance light) such as sunlight or fluorescent light enters the PT1. Disturbance light similarly enters other PTs.

This disturbance light is electrically converted to a DC voltage (VD
C), appear simultaneously in the waveform 904, and are combined with the signal voltage. This waveform 904 passes through a DC cut circuit and has a DC component cut off, and becomes a waveform 905.

Next, the waveform 905 is input to a comparator and compared with a reference voltage (Vref). Only a signal higher than the reference voltage is shaped into a square wave, and a signal lower than the reference voltage becomes OV and becomes the next stage of synchronization. Input to the circuit. At the same time, φ1 (waveform 902) is input to the synchronization circuit, and only a signal higher than the reference voltage and having the same phase as φ1 (waveform 902) is extracted. As a result, a waveform 906 is output from the synchronization circuit. In other words, optically LED
Although the light 906 from the light source 2 is prevented from directly entering the PT1, the synchronous circuit removes the voltages B and D that the PT1 receives and outputs corresponding to φ2 (waveform 903) that electrically drives the LED2. Since only the signals A and C output in correspondence with φ1 (waveform 902) for driving LED1 are taken out, malfunction is prevented. In the waveform 905, when there is no luggage, the signals A and B become higher than the reference voltage of the comparator. Subsequently, only the signal A is taken out by inputting the signal to the synchronization circuit. Since the level is lower than the reference voltage, the voltage becomes OV. As a result,
When there is no luggage, the waveform 906 has a square wave at the portion corresponding to the signal A of the waveform 905, and has OV when there is luggage.

Next, the waveform 906 is inputted to the detection integration circuit, and when it is a square wave, it becomes a sawtooth waveform as shown in FIG. 6, and when it is 0 V, it is held. As a result, a waveform 907 is obtained. This waveform 907 is input to the waveform shaping circuit. This circuit is an inverter (inverting circuit). When there is no luggage, the sawtooth waveform voltage level becomes higher than the operation voltage (Vthr: threshold value) of this circuit, and the output of the circuit becomes 0 V (LOW). That is, when there is luggage, the voltage is below the operating point because it is 0 V, and the circuit output becomes TTL level (HIGH). As a result, a waveform 908 is obtained. The waveform 908 is input to an OR circuit (logical sum circuit),
Next, the waveform 908 is input to the base of the open collector transistor, and the waveform 908 is again inverted and output as a waveform 909. That is, when there is finally no luggage, the transistor is turned off and the sensor power supply voltage level HI
When a GH signal is output and a package is present, the transistor is turned on and a 0 V (LOW) signal is output.

[0041]

According to the luggage sensor of the automatic luggage management locker device of the present invention, the luggage detection area in the locker box is widened, the luggage is hardly detected, and the manufacturing cost is relatively low. The effect that there is is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a horizontal sectional view of a luggage sensor of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the luggage sensor of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a response in which the luggage sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention is attached to a locker box.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan layout view of an embodiment of a luggage sensor of the automatic luggage management locker device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a circuit in the luggage sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing operation waveforms of a corner block of a circuit in the luggage sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan layout view of a conventional luggage sensor 1.

FIG. 8 is a schematic plan layout view of a conventional luggage sensor 2.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line AA ′ of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a schematic plan layout view of a conventional luggage sensor 3.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 optical sensor 10 luggage 11 light emitter 12 light receiver 13 diffuse reflection light sensor 16 light emitter 17 light receiver 101 optical holder 102 mounting hole 103 mounting hole 111 slit hole 112 slit hole 113 slit hole 114 slit hole 115 slit hole 116 slit hole 117 slit Hole 118 Slit hole 119 Slit hole 120 Slit hole 131 Light emitting element 132 Light emitting element 133 Light emitting element 134 Light emitting element 135 Light emitting element 141 Light receiving element 142 Light receiving element 143 Light receiving element 144 Light receiving element 145 Light receiving element 150 Printed circuit board 161 Light element 162 Light emitting element 163 Light emitting element 164 Light emitting element 165 Light emitting element 166 Light emitting element 167 Light emitting element 171 Light receiving element 172 Light receiving element 173 Light receiving element 174 Light receiving element 175 Light receiving element 1 6 light receiving element 177 light receiving element 301 reflective tape 311 point 312 point 313 point 314 point 315 point 401 irradiation light 402 reflection light 403 irradiation light 404 reflection light 405 irradiation light 406 reflection light 407 irradiation light 408 reflection light 409 irradiation light 410 reflection light 450 Light 516 Opening 517 Projection 518 Projection 519 Projection 520 Projection 701 Back 702 Left side 703 Right side 704 Shelf 700 Door 710 Opening 711 Projection 712 Projection 713 Projection 714 Projection 720 Cover 723 Opening 901 Waveform 90 Waveform 90 Waveform 90 Waveform Waveform 90 907 waveform 908 waveform 909 waveform

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of reflection type optical sensors are arranged on one of the left and right sides of each locker box of an automatic luggage management locker device having a control unit and a plurality of locker boxes, and Arrange a plurality of reflectors or reflective tapes on the side, each reflective optical sensor irradiates light to the corresponding reflective plate or reflective tape, and arranges such that the reflected light can be received by the reflective optical sensor, When all the reflective optical sensors are receiving light, it is determined that there is no luggage in the locker box, and a signal indicating that there is no luggage is transmitted to the control unit. On the other hand, one of the reflective optical sensors receives light. If not, the luggage sensor of the automatic luggage management locker device determines that there is luggage in the locker box and sends a signal indicating that luggage is present to the control unit. 2. Each of the reflection type optical sensors has a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and the light emitting element is a red LED or an infrared LED which is driven with a predetermined pulse waveform and outputs modulated light. A luggage sensor for the automatic luggage management locker device according to claim 1. 3. Each of the reflection-type optical sensors forms two columnar slit holes which are sufficiently deeper than the hole diameter and are formed in parallel in close proximity to each other, and a small-diameter light emitting element is provided at the back of the one slit hole. The light receiving element of a small diameter is arranged behind the other slit hole, and the light emitted from the light emitting element and projected along the axial direction of the one slit hole is reflected by a reflector or a reflective tape. 2. An automatic baggage or the like according to claim 1, wherein the angle formed between the incident light and the reflected light when the light is reflected and received by the light receiving element at the back of the other slit hole is 0.5 ° or less. Luggage sensor of the management locker device. 4. The luggage sensor for an automatic luggage management locker device according to claim 3, wherein the light receiving element is a phototransistor or a photodiode.