JPS60126963A - Optical pattern reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain simultaneously simplifying in mechanism and reducing in size of a device by positioning separately a light source and a pattern reading means and moving the body while holding their optical distance constant. CONSTITUTION:A tape 10 made of a glass plate on which a member A to be read is located is formed at the top surface opening of a housing case 1, and an endless running body 2 such as a belt and a chain is arranged in parallel under the table 10. When the member A to be read is mounted on the table 10 and a pulley 23 is driven to rotate counterclockwise, the upper running surface 21 of the running body 2 moves from right to left and the lower running surface 22 moves from left to right; and moving tables 3 and 4 move at the same speed in the opposite directions. Therefore, the moving bases 3 and 4 are invariably at constant optical distance and reflected light from the member A to be read is passed through an optical path and inputted to a pattern reading means 42 on the same condition to read the display pattern of the member A by a pattern reading means 42 according to the movement of the moving bases 3 and 4.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Technical Field of the Invention> The present invention provides a method for applying light to a member to be read on which characters or other patterns are displayed, condensing the reflected light through an optical path, and
CCD (Cbarge Coupled Device)
The present invention relates to a pattern reading device that optically reads patterns such as characters using pattern reading means such as ).

<Background of the Invention> As shown in FIG. 2, a conventional pattern reading device of this type has a
The material to be read A on which the pattern has been displayed is sent from the hopper section 8 to the conveyance path 81, and when the object to be read A passes through the optical reading section 82 provided in the middle of the conveyance path 8, it is illuminated by light from the light source 83. , and the reflected light is read by a pattern reading means 84 such as a CCD through an optical path S. However, in this method, since the member A to be read is conveyed, the entire mechanism becomes complicated and the apparatus becomes larger. Furthermore, in order to prevent troubles such as jamming and skewing of the member A to be read during transport, a precise design of the transport mechanism is required, which leads to an increase in the number of parts and other disadvantages such as an increase in the cost of the apparatus.

In order to solve this problem, a new method has been proposed in which the member to be read remains stationary and the optical reading section moves. The example of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 is provided with a glass table 9o for orienting the object to be read A on the upper surface of the device body 9, and a screw shaft 92 that is driven forward and backward by a pulse motor 91 in parallel with the table 9°. , an optical reading section 9 including a light source 93, a condensing lens 94, a pattern reading means 95, etc. is mounted on this screw shaft 92.
6 are screwed together for reciprocating movement. Incidentally, the optical distance between the object to be read A and the condensing lens 94 is proportional to the focal length of the condensing lens 94, but the condensing lens 94 should have a suitably long focal length to prevent shading and the like. It is necessary to use it. For this reason, in the illustrated apparatus, the optical path S is bent at a right angle using the reflecting mirror 97, thereby reducing the size of the apparatus. On the other hand, in the case of the illustrated example, when the vertical width of the optical reading section 96 is made smaller, the horizontal width d of the optical reading section 96 becomes thicker, so that optical reading is not possible at the end reading position (indicated by a broken line in the figure). The lateral protrusion width
The vertical width of the container 9 increases, and the container body 9 becomes vertically thick.Therefore, even in this type of system, there is a limit to miniaturizing the entire device.

<Object of the Invention> In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention simplifies the mechanism by locating the light source and the pattern reading means separately and moving them while maintaining a constant optical distance. The object of the present invention is to provide a novel optical pattern reading device that simultaneously achieves the above-mentioned features and miniaturization of the device.

<Structure and Effects of the Invention> In order to achieve the second object, an endless running body such as a belt or a chino is reciprocatably disposed parallel to the table for orienting the object to be read, and the running body near the table is The light source is fixedly mounted on one running surface with the light source facing toward the table, and the other running surface far from the table has a condenser that focuses the light from the object to be read, and a pattern such as a CCD behind the condenser. The reading means are each mounted and fixed, and the light source, the condenser, and the pattern reading means are located separately, and an optical device with a constant optical distance along the circumferential path of the traveling body is installed between the light source and the condenser. A path was created.

According to the present invention, - Since the pattern is read with the member to be read stationary, the entire mechanism is simplified and the device is made smaller compared to the method shown in FIG. 2 in which the member to be read is moved. can. In addition, since the light source, the condenser, and the pattern reading means are located separately, the optical distance can be made sufficiently long (
This allows the device to be further miniaturized compared to the conventional example shown in FIG. Moreover, since a condensing lens with a long focal length can be used, problems such as shading do not occur, and there are many excellent effects such as improved pattern reading accuracy.

<Description of Embodiments> FIG. 1 shows an optical pattern reading device according to the present invention. In the illustrated example, a table 10 made of a glass plate is formed in the upper opening of a brush-shaped case 1 to orient a member to be read A,
Beneath the table 10, an endless running body 2, such as a nichel, a cheno, etc., is arranged parallel to the table 10. The running body 2 is wound around between the boot IJs 23 and 24 provided at both ends inside the case 1, and one of the pulleys 23 is connected to a motor (not shown), so that the running body 2 can be reciprocated. There is. Rails 25 and 26 are disposed below the upper running surface 21 and lower running surface 22 of the traveling body 2 in parallel with the running surfaces, respectively, and the movable platforms 3 and 4 are provided on each running surface 21.22. In addition to fixing the mounting, each movable platform 3, 4 is attached to the rail 25, 26 respectively.
It is slidably engaged in a reciprocating manner. Each of the movable bases 3 and 4 is such that when one movable base 3 is located at one end, the other movable base 4
They are arranged in symmetrical positions so that the two ends are located at the other end. The movable table 3 on the upper running surface 21 has a light source 31 directed toward the table 10, and a pulley 2 that directs the reflected light from the table 10.
A reflecting mirror 32 for sending the light in the direction of the pulley 24 is provided on the movable table 4 of the lower running surface 22, and a condenser 41 consisting of a condenser lens that collects the reflected light sent from the pulley 24 side, and a condenser Pattern reading means 42 consisting of COD is behind 41.
is in place. Furthermore, reflectors 5 and 6 are disposed above and below the pulley 24 to form an optical path S of reflected light along the circumferential path of the traveling body 2. The light from the mirror 32 is sent to the other reflecting mirror 6, and the other reflecting mirror 6 sends the light from the reflecting mirror 5 to the condenser 41.

When the member A to be read is placed on the table 10 and the pulley 23 is rotated in the direction of the half-hour hand, the upper running surface 21 of the running body 2 moves to the left from the cloth in the figure, and the lower running surface 22 moves to the left. The movable tables 3 and 4 move toward the opposite direction at the same speed. Therefore, the optical distance between the movable tables 3 and 4 is always constant, and the reflected light from the member A to be read passes through the optical path to the pattern reading means 4 under the same conditions.
2, and the display pattern of the member to be read A is displayed on the moving table 3.
．． 4 is sequentially read by the pattern reading means 42.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a front view showing the internal structure of the optical pattern reading device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional example, and Fig. 3
The figure is an explanatory diagram showing another conventional example. 10... Table 2... Traveling body 21.22
...Travelling surface 31 ...Light source 41...
・Concentrator 42...Pattern reading means A...
Component to be read S...Optical path old / Nu A □□□□□□□Ko Yellow 2 L Sumite 3 ΣO

Claims (1)

[Claims] ■ An endless traveling body is arranged so as to be able to reciprocate in parallel with a table that localizes the object to be read, and a light source is attached to one running surface of the traveling body near the table with a light source directed toward the table. is fixed, and a light condenser that collects light from the object to be read is mounted on the other traveling surface far from the table, and a pattern reading means is installed and fixed behind the light condenser, and a connection between the light source and the light condenser is fixed. An optical pattern reading device having an optical path formed therebetween along the circumferential traveling path of the traveling body. (2) The optical pattern reading device according to claim 1, wherein the running body is an endless belt or an endless chain. ■ The pattern reading means is a CCD (ChargeCo
The optical pattern reading device according to claim 1, which is an upgraded device. (2) The optical pattern reading device according to claim 1, wherein the optical path is formed by arranging a plurality of reflecting mirrors along the circular traveling path of the traveling body.