• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    A code reader device (30) comprising: - a positioning surface (32) of the product, - a code reader element (36-38) for the optical reading of a code carried by the product (M), and - a displacement member which rotates and / or rotates the product (M) on the positioning surface (32). The code reader device (30) is configured to read the code with the code reader element (36-38) while the product (M) is rotated and / or rotated on the positioning surface (32).
    公开号:FR3076376A1
    申请号:FR1860182
    申请日:2018-11-06
    公开日:2019-07-05
    发明作者:Toshiyuki Tachibana；Yoshiyuki Kujihashi；Hirotaka YAMAKAZE
    申请人:Itoh Denki Co Ltd；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    The present invention relates to a code reader device as well as to a code reading method for automatically reading a barcode or similar code carried by a product.
    State of the art
    For example, in stations or distribution centers and large companies, in general, a large number of products are collected to be classified according to their destination. These distribution centers include sampling points for different destinations and each product is collected at a corresponding distribution point by a conveyor line. A conveyor line in a distribution center is subdivided into a set of lines connected to sampling points. A code reader device equips part of the conveyor line to read the code carried by the articles using a code reader device to determine the destination of each product.
    A conventional code reader device includes a barcode reader installed on a conventional conveyor. This means that in a conveyor line, for example, that of a distribution center, there is generally a conveyor device such as a roller or belt conveyor, which ensures the linear transport of the products. The conventional code reader device is configured with a barcode reader fixed, for example, to the chassis of the roller conveyor or belt conveyor constituting the conveyor line.
    The conventional code reader device includes a barcode reader on the lateral surface of the product scrolling path. The products move in line on the conveyor. The products pass in front of the barcode reader installed on the conveyor. The reader reads the barcode carried by each product.
    These techniques are described in particular in the following documents: JP 2009-203013 A, JP 2001-019147 A, JP 2006199450 A.
    The difficulty of known installations is that a conventional code reader device assumes that the bar code is in a determined position on the product and the latter must pass in front of the bar code reader in a precise position. Thus, a conventional code reader device will be able to read the bar code insofar as the reader is fixed to the side of the scroll path of a product and that bar code is fixed to this side of the product; the surface with the barcode must face the barcode reader. But if the barcode is attached to another surface of the product or if the surface carrying the barcode is not facing the barcode reader, the latter will not be able to read the barcode.
    Thus, for a conventional barcode reader device to read a barcode, it must be fixed on the same surface of the different products. In addition, when a product is placed on the conveyor line, the operator must check the orientation of the products and manually correct this orientation if necessary.
    Purpose of the invention
    The present invention aims to remedy the difficulties of known solutions and proposes to develop a code reader device for reading a code fixed in any position on the product, without being limited to a position for fixing the code on the product and to a product orientation position.
    Presentation and advantages of the invention
    To this end, the subject of the invention is a code reader device comprising a product positioning surface on which a product is placed, at least one code reader element for the optical reading of a code carried by the product and , a moving member which rotates and / or turns the product on the positioning surface, the code reader device being configured to read the code with the code reader member while the product rotates and / or turns on the positioning surface.
    According to the invention, the code is, for example, a barcode or a two-dimensional barcode configured to contain the information in a graphical form. The code reader device according to the invention comprises a drive unit which rotates and / or turns the product on the product positioning surface so that the product pivots and / or rotates on this surface so that several faces or surfaces of the product are turned to the code reader element temporarily.
    The code reader device according to the invention rotates and / or turns the product on the positioning surface and reads the code when the surface of the product bearing the code is turned towards the code reader element. Thus, there are few constraints regarding the surfaces that can carry the code. The position of the product in the installation, for reading the code, is an unimportant position.
    The code reader element is preferably located above the product positioning surface and in an inclined position.
    The code carried by any surface other than the underside of the product can be read regardless of the position of the product in the installation.
    In each of the cases considered above, the code reader element is preferably an image code reader.
    According to this development, a single code reader element processes a wide range of cases.
    In each of the cases considered above, it is preferable that at least one code reader element has at least one low code reader element which reads the code on the lower side of the product positioning surface; the code reader device is configured to read the code with the code reader element lower.
    Under these conditions, even if the product is placed so that the code is on the lower surface, this code can be read.
    In the above development, it is preferable that the product positioning surface has an interval and that the low code reader element is in a position allowing it to see through this interval.
    According to this development, it is possible to read more reliably the code attached to the lower surface or below.
    According to the above development, the low code reader element is a scanning barcode reader that scans in the direction of interval extension.
    In the above development, at least one low code reader device has a set of low code reader elements which is in positions corresponding to different scanning directions. This makes it possible to read, more reliably, the code carried by the bottom surface or below the object.
    According to each of the above developments, it is preferable that the positioning surface of the object comprises a set of conveying elements organized in a plane and each element has a drive function for driving (moving) the product and a movement direction orientation function to change the movement direction of the product. Thus, the product can rotate or rotate smoothly.
    In each of the developments envisaged above, it is preferable that the code reader device includes a code reading zone which makes it possible to rotate and / or rotate the product and once the code has been read, the product is removed from the zone of reading. This saves time after reading the code.
    According to the above development, it is preferable that the code reader device includes a reprocessing zone which temporarily receives the product if its code could not be read in a predefined period when it was in the reading zone of code and then the product is returned to the code reading area again.
    According to the above developments, it is preferable that the code reading device comprises a code reading zone making it possible to rotate and / or rotate the product and a reprocessing zone if the code could not be read in a predefined period in the code reading zone, the product being provisionally placed in the reprocessing zone to then be returned to the code reading zone. According to this development, a lot of lost time is saved if the code cannot be read. The product will then be returned to the code reading area to repeat this reading.
    In each of the above developments, at least one code reader element has a high code reader element and a side code reader element, the high code reader element being configured to read a barcode carried by the upper surface. of the product and the side code reader element being configured to read the bar code carried by the side surface of the product.
    The subject of the invention is also a method of reading a code carried by a product and consisting in:
    (a) rotate and / or rotate the product, and (b) read the code for the top surface and the side surface or bottom of the product.
    In the above development, it is preferable that step (a) comprises the pivoting and / or rotation of the product on the product positioning surface which has an interval and step (b) consists in reading the code from the bottom surface with an interval.
    In conclusion, the code reader device according to the invention and its reading method make it possible to read a code located in any position on the product and this with low constraints concerning the positioning of the code on the product.
    drawings
    The present invention will be described below, in more detail using an example of a code reader device and a code reading method shown in the accompanying drawings in which:
    FIG. 1a is a plan view of a conveyor device (comprising a code reader device) according to an embodiment of the invention, FIG. 1b is a view explaining each zone of the conveyor device, FIG. 2a is a view in perspective of the conveyor device of Figure 1, Figure 2b is a perspective view of a product, Figure 3 is a perspective view of a unit of conveyor elements, Figure 4 is a perspective view showing part of the conveyor device of FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conveyor element of the conveyor device and of the conveyor element of FIGS. 2a, 2b, FIG. 6 is a schematic view of 'a drive system for the conveying elements of Figures 2a, 2b, Figure 7 is a diagram showing the positioning of a high code reader element and a low code reader element in a reading area, Figure 8 is a p view lan showing the position of the low code reader element in the code reading area, FIG. 9 is a side view showing the positioning of a high code reader element and a low code reader element in the code reading area, Figures 10a and 10b each show a plan view showing the position and thrust direction of a conveyor roller in the code reading area, Figure 10a showing the case in which the code is read and FIG. 10b showing the case in which the reading of the code is retried, FIGS. 11a and 11b each show a plan view of the position and the direction of thrust of the conveyor roller of the code reading zone, FIG. 11a showing the case in which the code could not be read and FIG. 11b showing the case in which the code reading is tried again, FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the path of a product in the area of code reading, Figures 13a, 13b mo each enter the relationship between the position of a product and the code reader element down in the code reading area, FIG. 14 is an explanatory view showing the relationship between the position of a product and the code reader element code high in the code reading area, Fig. 15 is a side view showing the position of a high code reader and a side code reader in the code reading area.
    Description of embodiments of the invention
    Figure 1 and Figure 2a show a conveyor device 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. A code reader device 30 according to one embodiment is integrated into the conveyor device 2. The conveyor device 2 transports an object M from the upstream side to the downstream side and includes a code reading area 31.
    The conveyor device 2 has an object positioning surface 32 on which the object M is placed. According to FIG. 4, the object positioning surface 32 is produced by bringing together a large number of conveying elements 1 arranged in a plane to constitute the conveyor device 2 with the object positioning surface 32. The conveying element 1 comprises a drive unit which makes the object pivot and / or rotate around the positioning surface 32 By way of explanation, FIG. 4 shows a part of the conveyor device 2. In practice, the conveyor device 2 comprises more conveyor elements 1 than the conveyor device shown in FIG. 4.
    As will be described later, the conveyor element 1 has conveyor rollers 3 and a pivoting base 6 for pivoting the conveyor rollers 3. The conveyor element 1 functions as a pushing element which pushes the object M. L ' conveying element 1 as a pushing element comprises conveyor rollers 3 coming into contact with the underside of the object M and moving the object M; they can also modify the direction of thrust of the object M if the direction of the conveyor rollers 3 is changed with the pivoting base 6.
    The conveying element 1 is configured so that the conveyor rollers 3 exert a driving function for pushing and moving the object M; the pivoting base 6 exercises a direction change function (transfer direction change function).
    In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, four conveyor elements 1 are combined in a plate 33. The conveyor device 2 is formed by placing units of conveyor element 28 in a plane.
    In the conveyor element unit 28, the front end part of the pivoting base 6 of each conveyor element 1 and a part of the conveyor rollers 3 protrude from the plate 33. The bottom of the object M comes in contact with the conveyor rollers 3 and the product M is subjected to a thrust force exerted by the conveyor rollers 3 when the latter rotate. The conveying element 1 can modify the direction of the thrust exerted on the object M by turning the pivoting base 6 with the pivoting motor 8.
    Figure 5 shows the shape of the conveying element 1.
    The conveying element 1 has a mobility function for pushing and moving the object M with the conveyor rollers 3. The conveying element 1 has an element modifying the direction of thrust applied to the object M. Specifically, the conveying element 1 comprises conveyor rollers 3; the object M is placed on the conveyor rollers 3. The conveyor rollers 3 are rotated by a drive motor 9 and the bottom of the object M resting on the conveyor rollers 3 is pushed by the rotation of the conveyor rollers 3 which moves the object M.
    The conveying element 1 has a pivoting base 6 which makes it possible to modify the direction of the conveyor rollers 3 to modify the direction of thrust applied to the object M.
    According to FIG. 5, the conveying element 1 comprises a driving section 5, a pivoting base 6, a housing 7, a pivoting motor 8, a driving motor 9, in this order, starting from the top . The housing 7 is fixed to a mounting structure, not shown, of the conveyor device 2. The pivot motor 8 is fixed to the housing 7. The drive motor 9 is fixed under the pivot motor 8.
    The drive section 5 is mounted on the pivoting base 6. The pivoting base 6 is rotatably mounted on the pivoting motor 8.
    According to Figures 5 and 6, the drive section 5 comprises two conveyor rollers 3 (rotary members). The two conveyor rollers 3 are rotatably mounted on the pivoting base 6. The conveyor rollers 3 cooperate with a drive roller 4.
    The drive roller 4 rotates under the effect of the power transmitted by the drive shaft 14 of the drive motor 9 via a bevel gear 15 and a bevel gear 23. The rotation of the drive roller 4 rotates the conveyor rollers 3.
    The conveyor rollers 3 of the drive section 5 rotate under the effect of the power supplied by the drive motor 9.
    The pivoting base 6 is a cylindrical element with an internal pinion 18. The pivoting base 6 receives the torque transmitted by the pivoting motor 8 by the pinion 12, the pinion 13 and the internal pinion 18. Thus, the pivoting base 6 is driven by the swivel motor 8.
    As described above, the drive section 5 is mounted on the swivel base 6. When the swivel base 6 rotates, the direction of the drive section 5 changes and thus changes the direction of thrust applied to the object M .
    Thus, the conveying element 1 moves the object M by transmitting the torque from the drive motor 9 to the conveyor rollers 3 to rotate these rollers 3 and thus push the object M through the conveyor rollers 3.
    The pivoting motor 8 rotates the pivoting base 6 and changes the direction of the conveyor rollers 3 to allow any change in the direction of thrust exerted on the object M. Thus, the conveying element 1 has a function drive to move the object M and a push direction change function to change the push direction.
    The conveyor device 2 has an object positioning surface 32 constituted by the plate 33 of the unit of conveying elements 28 and the distal end of the pivoting base 6 of the conveying element 1; the conveyor rollers 3 of the conveyor element 1 are released relative to the object positioning surface 32. Thus, the rotation of the conveyor rollers 3 moves the object M on the object positioning surface 32 and the direction thrust can be modified in any way by the pivoting of the pivoting base 6.
    The conveying element 1 is equipped with a load sensor 16. The purpose of the load sensor 16 is to detect the presence or the passage of the object M. The conveying element 1 also has means of communication (not shown); the signal from the load sensor 16 and the activated state of the drive motor are transmitted to the corresponding conveying element 1.
    In this embodiment, it is possible to operate the conveying element 1 constituting the conveyor device 2 according to an intermittent operating mode. In the intermittent operating mode, the conveyor rollers 3 of the conveying element 1 operate and stop according to the positioning state of the object M and the driving state of the conveying elements 1 located around.
    In intermittent operating mode, if an object M is present on one of the conveying elements 1 and if there is no object M on the conveying element 1 located upstream in the direction of movement, the drive motor 9 of the corresponding conveying element 1 is driven to move the object on the conveying element
    1. Likewise, if the conveying element 1 located upstream in the direction of movement is ready to transfer the object M, the corresponding conveying element 1 is activated to move the object to this conveying element 1.
    In this embodiment, the conveying element 1 of the conveyor device 2 can be operated in continuous operating mode. In this continuous operating mode, the conveyor rollers 3 are driven regardless of the positioning state of the object M or of a similar element.
    The conveyor device 2, according to this embodiment, is formed by a large number of conveyor elements 1 such as that described above. In this embodiment, there are six conveying elements 1 in the transverse direction and a greater number of conveying elements 1 in the longitudinal direction.
    As described above, in this embodiment, the unit of conveyor elements 28 is composed of four conveyor elements 1. According to FIGS. 1 and 2, there are eighteen units of conveyor elements 28 distributed in three rows and six columns. To facilitate the description, as shown in FIG. 1, the references a - r have been used for the different units of conveying elements 28.
    According to FIG. 1, the conveyor device 2 according to this embodiment is formed of eighteen units of conveyor elements 28 going from the unit of conveyor element 28a to the unit of conveyor element 28r , in three rows and six columns.
    According to FIG. 1b, in the conveyor device 2 according to this embodiment, the object positioning surface 32 is divided into an insertion zone 46, a code reading zone 31, a reprocessing zone 47 and a zone unloading 48. Thus, according to FIGS. 1a and 1b, the introduction zone 46 is formed of the units of conveying elements 28a, 28b, 28c; this area is in the end position in the longitudinal direction; there is an upstream zone which corresponds to both the code reading zone 31 and the reprocessing zone 47.
    The code reading area 31 is a square surface composed of four units, namely the units of conveying elements 28d, 28e, 28g and 28h.
    The reprocessing area 47 is an area adjacent to the code reading area 31 in the transverse direction; it is made up of 28f and 28i conveying element units.
    The conveyor device 2 according to this embodiment comprises an unloading zone 48 located further upstream.
    The object M is loaded into the code reading zone 31 from the input zone 46. In the code reading zone 31, the object M is rotated and the bar code 40 fixed at the object M. If the reading has been successful, the pivoting movement of the object M is stopped, which is transferred to the unloading zone 48 on the downstream side.
    However, if the reading has not been successful, the object M is temporarily transferred to the reprocessing area 47. After remaining in the reprocessing area 47 for a certain period of time, the object M is again transferred to the processing area. reading code 31 and repeating the reading.
    The operation and role of each zone will be described below.
    Introduction area
    The insertion area 46 is an area in which a unit of conveying elements 28 is located in the longitudinal direction. The entry area 46 has a function for loading the object M into the code reading area 31.
    Code reading area
    In this embodiment, as shown in the example (Figures 1, 2 7 and 8), the code reading area 31 is composed of four units of conveying elements 28d, 28e, 28g and 28h. The low code reader elements 36 and 37 are located below the lower part of the code reading area 31.
    There is also a high code reading unit 38 in a position located on the side of the side surface of the code reading area 31 and above the object positioning surface 32.
    In this embodiment, the code reader device 30 is formed by four units of conveying elements 28d, 28e, 28g and 28h, low code reader elements 36, 37 and the high code reading unit 38 .
    As shown in each drawing, in the code reading area 31, there is an interval 43 between the units of conveyor elements 28.
    The interval 43 is formed between the four units of conveying elements 28d, 28e, 28g and 28h; this interval has the shape of a cross. If the transfer direction of the object M is the direction Y, the interval 43 is generally divided into an interval of direction Y bearing the reference 43y extending in the direction Y and of an interval 43x extending in the transverse direction which is direction X.
    The low code reader elements 36 and 37 are well known barcode readers having detection sections. Each detection section is a part emitting a laser beam or the like to read a barcode by receiving the reflected light. The low code reader elements 36-37 make it possible to scan the barcode 40, for example, by modifying, in a linear fashion, the direction of irradiation of the laser beam.
    The low code reader elements 36-37 are code reader elements making it possible to read optically the code carried by an object.
    In this embodiment, the two low code reader elements 36 and 37 have detection sections in the interval 43 between the units of conveyor elements 28. The scanning direction of each detection section is along the direction of extension of the interval 43 in the plane.
    More precisely, the scanning direction of the low code reader element 36 installed in the interval 43y oriented in the Y direction allows reading in the Y direction. The scanning direction of the low code reader element 37 installed in the interval 43x oriented in the X direction corresponds to the reading direction X. As described above, in this embodiment, the low code reader elements are installed in positions corresponding to different scanning directions.
    The low code reader elements 36 and 37 have positions such that they look from the upper side through the gap 43.
    Thus, when the object M pivots on the object positioning surface 32 of the code reading area 31 and the background of the object M passes over the interval 43, a detection beam such as a beam laser meets the background of the object M. The beam is reflected towards the detection section. Thus when the bar code 40 passes over the interval 43, this bar code 40 is read by the low code reader elements 36 and 37.
    The top code reader element 38 is an image code reader, i.e. a wide range barcode reader. The top code reader element 38 is also known as an image barcode reader, an image reader or a camera barcode reader.
    The 38 high code reader element reads the barcode as an image. After capture, the entire image is scanned over thousands of lines in the area to find the position of the barcode and then analyze the barcode using an algorithm.
    The high code reader element 38 is an element which reads the code carried by the product in an optical manner.
    The high code reader element 38 has a wider field of vision than the low code reader elements 36 and 37. If a video has taken the visual field including a barcode, then the high code reader element 38 recognizes this and scans the barcode and temporarily saves the barcode image. The upper code reader element 38 then analyzes the image and reads the barcode. The high code reader element 38 has the function of a camera. The high code reader element 38 is located above the lateral surface of the conveyor device 2 and the direction of sight of the camera (detection section) is inclined.
    The camera (detection section) of the top code reader element 38 targets the code reading area 31 in an oblique direction from above, above the code reading area 31 to check the presence or the absence of a barcode. The high code reader element 38 is placed in a position enabling it to target the entire code reading area 31.
    As described above, in this embodiment, the code reader device 30 is formed by four units of conveying elements 28d, 28e, 28g and 28h, low code reader elements 36 and 37 and the element top code reader 38.
    The code reader device 30 performs a code reading operation, a discharging operation and a reprocessing operation.
    When the code reading operation is carried out as shown in FIG. 10a, each conveying element 1 takes an inclined position with the exception of some of them. The angles of inclination of the respective conveying elements 1 in the direction of thrust differ slightly from each other and the direction (small arrows) in which each conveying element 1 moves the product M corresponds to multiple circles in all.
    In this embodiment, the position of the conveyor roller 3 of each conveying element 1 is determined so that the product M pivots around a point in the code reading zone
    31.
    At the time of the code reading operation, the conveyor element 1 operates in continuous mode and the conveyor rollers 3 are always driven regardless of the position of the product M.
    The product M loaded on the code reading area 31 rotates around a point as shown in Figures 12 and 14. The product M placed in the center, rotates around the point. In this embodiment, the product M pivots or rotates clockwise.
    The geometrical place of displacement of the product M is presented in figure 12; the direction changes according to the pivoting operation. In this embodiment, four units of conveying elements 28d, 28e, 28g and 28h are combined in a ring. It is assumed that the lateral surfaces of the product M comprise a surface a, a surface b, a surface c and a surface d. When the product M is on the conveying element unit 28d, the surface (a) of the product M is facing the high code reader element 38. When the product M is on the conveying element unit 28g, the surface (c) of the product M faces the high code reader element 38; when the product M is on the unit of conveying elements 28h, the surface (b) or the surface (c) of the product M is facing the high code reader element 38. When the product M is on the the unit of conveying elements 28e, the surface (a) or the surface (b) of the product M is facing the high code reader element 38.
    In this way, all the surfaces of the product M will successively face the high code reader element 38 at a given time during the pivoting. If the barcode 40 is fixed to the surface (a) of the product M, when the product M is on the conveying element unit 28d, the high code reader element 38 detects the barcode 40, the bed and analysis.
    In addition, during the code reading operation, the conveying element 1 operates in continuous mode and the product M rotates several times during a predetermined period. Thus, at any time, the high code reader element 38 detects the bar code 40, targets it and analyzes it.
    If the barcode 40 is carried by the upper surface (top) of the product M, such as, for example, the product Mb of FIG. 2b, the high code reader element 38 detects the barcode 40 at a certain time , targets it and analyzes it.
    This means that in this embodiment, as the camera (detection section) of the top code reader element 38 controls the code reading area 31 in a diagonal direction towards the code reading area 31, the code bars 40 will be recognized on the upper surface of the product M although this is done with a certain deformation.
    If the barcode 40 is located on the lower surface (the bottom) of the product M, the barcode 40 will be read by the low code reader elements 36 and 37.
    Since the low code reader elements 36 and 37 are barcode scanning readers, the barcode will be detected if it is scanned in a direction parallel to the direction of organization of the line sequence of the code- 40 bar when a bar code is difficult to read if the scanning direction of the bar code 40 intersects the distribution direction of the line sequence.
    Thus, in this embodiment, the low code reader elements 36 and 37 are organized in positions which intersect the scanning direction.
    The low code reader elements 36 and 37 are set up so that the detection sections are in the narrow interval 43 and that these elements look upwards, towards the upper side through the narrow interval 43. Thus, the field of vision of the low code reader elements 36 and 37 is narrow. However, as the product M pivots on the positioning surface 32, the object M always passes at a certain time over the interval 43.
    As shown in FIG. 13a, when the product M advances, driven by the unit of conveyor elements 28g towards the unit of conveyor elements 28h and the line pattern of the barcode arrives at the interval 43y , in a direction perpendicular to the interval 43y, the low code reader element 36 of the interval 43y will not be able to read the barcode 40 of the product M.
    However, since the product M is then moved by the conveying element unit 28h to the conveying element unit 28e, the low code reader element 37 in the interval 43x will be able to read the code at this time -40 bars of product M.
    According to FIG. 13b, when the line pattern of the barcode arrives at the interval 43y in the same direction as the direction of the interval 43y, the low code reader element 36 placed in the interval 43y reads the barcode 40 of product M.
    This embodiment includes the two low code reader elements 36 and 37 whose scanning directions are different. Thus, even if one of the low code reader elements 36 and 37 cannot read, the other low code reader element among elements 36 and 37 will, with a high probability, be able to read the barcode 40.
    In the code reading zone 31, the product M rotates or rotates for a predefined period allowing an attempt to be made to read the bar code 40.
    If the bar code 40 has been read successfully for one of the code reader elements 36, 37 and 38, the pivoting base 6 rotates immediately without waiting for the end of this period; as shown in FIG. 10b, the directions (small arrows) in which the conveyor rollers 3 push the product M, are oriented simultaneously towards the direction of the unloading zone 48. As a result, each product M will be evacuated towards the zone unloading 48 downstream.
    If the product M pivots and an attempt to read the bar code 40 fails for a predefined period of time, the pivoting base 6 immediately rotates and as shown in FIG. 11a, the directions (small arrows) in which the product M is pushed by the conveyor rollers 3, change immediately to go in the direction of the reprocessing area 47. As a result, each product M will be evacuated to the reprocessing area 47 on one side.
    The product M is held for a certain time in the reprocessing zone 47. Then, the pivoting base 6 of the reprocessing zone 47 rotates and as shown in FIG. 11b, the directions (small arrows) in which the product M is pushed by the conveyor rollers 3 change simultaneously to orient themselves in the direction of the code reading area 31. Thus, the product M returns to the code reading area 31 where it pivots again for an attempt to read the code- bars 40.
    In this embodiment, in code reading mode, the angle of the pivoting base 6 is determined so that the product M pivots around a point in the code reading zone 31 and that the positions of the conveyor rollers 3 are found in predetermined positions. However, the product M can be driven to pivot around several points. In addition, product M can rotate around the location.
    The scrolling speed, the rotating speed, the rotating speed, the turning radius and other elements of the product M at the time of the code reading operation are parameters which can change depending on the properties and products M and of their number.
    The scrolling speed, the rotating speed, the rotating speed, the turning radius or other parameters of the product M may change during a code reading operation.
    As a variant, when the product M is loaded in the code reading zone 31, it can first rotate on a small pivot radius then this pivot radius increases.
    The code reader device 30 according to this embodiment makes it possible to read a code over a relatively short conveying distance.
    In the embodiment described above, the top code reader element 38 is in a position corresponding to the side of the lateral surface of the code reading area 31 and above the product positioning surface 32. The camera (detection section) is adjusted in an inclined position covering the upper surface (the top) and the side faces of the product M with the high code reading element 38.
    According to FIG. 15, another configuration is made with the high code reader element 38 for detecting the bar code 40 fixed to the upper surface of the product M and a side code reader element 41 for detecting the bar code 40 fixed on the lateral surface of product M.
    The top code reader element 38 may be disposed on the product positioning surface 32 and be oriented vertically downward.
    The lateral code reader element 41 can be fixed so as to be above the product positioning surface 32 while being oriented in a practically horizontal direction.
    Unloading area
    The unloading area 48 is on the downstream side of the code reading area 31. The product whose bar code 40 has been read is transferred to the unloading area 48. The product M is transported from the unloading area 48 towards the exit.
    For example, the destination of the product is determined from the information read by the code reader device 30 and the product is transported to a predetermined position by the conveyor device, downstream side.
    Alternatively, the information read by the code reader device 30 is transmitted to a higher order control device. The higher order controller can have the bar code information carried by the product M and the data associated with this information such as the destination. The higher order controller sends the information to the conveyor device based on this data.
    权利要求:
    Claims (14)
    [1" id="c-fr-0001]
    1 °) Code reader device (30) comprising:
    a product positioning surface (32) on which a product (M) is placed, at least one code reader element (36-38) for the optical reading of a code carried by the product (M), and a displacement element which rotates and / or rotates the product (M) on the positioning surface (32), the code reader device (30) being configured to read the code with the code reader element (36-38 ) while the product (M) rotates and / or rotates on the positioning surface (32).
    [2" id="c-fr-0002]
    2 °) Code reader device according to claim 1, characterized in that the code reader element (38) is located above the product positioning surface (32) and installed in an inclined position.
    [3" id="c-fr-0003]
    3 °) Code reader device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the code reader element (36-38) is an image code reader.
    [4" id="c-fr-0004]
    4 °) Code reader device according to any one of the claims
    1 to 3, characterized in that at least one code reader element comprises at least one low code reader element (36, 37) which reads the code from the bottom side of the product positioning surface (32), and the Code reader device (30) is configured to read the code with the low code reader element (36, 37).
    [5" id="c-fr-0005]
    5 °) code reader device according to claim 4, characterized in that the product positioning surface (32) has a gap (43), in which the low code reader element (36, 37) is housed in a position to look through the interval (43).
    [6" id="c-fr-0006]
    6 °) Code reader device according to claim 5, characterized in that the low code reader element (36, 37) is a barcode reader by scanning which scans in the direction of extension of the interval (43).
    [7" id="c-fr-0007]
    7 °) code reader device (30) according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that at least one low code reader element (36,37) comprises a set of low code reader elements (36 , 37), and the low code reader elements (36, 37) are positioned in different scanning directions.
    [8" id="c-fr-0008]
    8 °) code reader device (30) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the product positioning surface (32) comprises a set of conveyor elements (28) organized in a plane and, each conveyor element (28) has a drive function for moving the product (M) and a drive direction change function for changing this direction.
    [9" id="c-fr-0009]
    9 °) code reader device (30) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the code reader device (30) has a code reading area (31) for pivoting and / or turning the product (M), and when the code is read, the product (M) is removed from the code reading area (31).
    [10" id="c-fr-0010]
    10 °) code reader device (30) according to claim 9, characterized in that the code reader device (30) further comprises a reprocessing area (47), and if the code is not read in a period predetermined in the code reading area (31), the product (M) is temporarily placed in the reprocessing area (47) to then be returned to the code reading area (31).
    [11" id="c-fr-0011]
    11 °) code reader device (30) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the code reader device (30) has a code reading area (31) which allows to rotate and / or to rotate the product (M) and a reprocessing area (47), and if the code is not read in the code reading area during a predefined period of time, the product (M) is temporarily placed in the reprocessing area (47) and it is then returned to the code reading area (31).
    [12" id="c-fr-0012]
    12 °) code reader device (30) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that at least one code reader element (36-38) comprises a high code reader element (38) and an element side code reader (41), the top code reader element (38) being configured to read a barcode carried by the upper surface of the product (M), and the side code reader element (41) is configured to read the barcode carried by the lateral surface of the product (M).
    [13" id="c-fr-0013]
    13 °) Method for reading a code attached to a product (M) consisting of:
    (a) rotate and / or rotate the product (M), and (b) read the code for the upper and lower surfaces of the product (M).
    [14" id="c-fr-0014]
    14 °) Method according to claim 13, characterized in that step (a) consists in rotating and / or rotating the product on a product positioning surface (32) having an interval (43), and the step (b) includes reading the code of the lower surface through the interval (43).
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    US10853600B2|2020-12-01|
    CN109967364A|2019-07-05|
    GB2569845A|2019-07-03|
    GB201817076D0|2018-12-05|
    US20190205584A1|2019-07-04|
    JP2019121118A|2019-07-22|
    FR3076376B1|2021-08-13|
    DE102018129707A1|2019-07-04|
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    法律状态:
    2019-11-25| PLFP| Fee payment|Year of fee payment: 2 |
    2020-09-04| PLSC| Publication of the preliminary search report|Effective date: 20200904 |
    2020-11-24| PLFP| Fee payment|Year of fee payment: 3 |
    2021-11-23| PLFP| Fee payment|Year of fee payment: 4 |
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    JP2017254919A|JP2019121118A|2017-12-28|2017-12-28|Code reader and code reading method|
    JP2017254919|2017-12-28|
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