Electronic tag processing device

Abstract

To provide an electronic tag processing device capable of properly processing an electronic tag of processing target objects by suppressing influence due to radiowave interference.SOLUTION: An electronic tag sticking device 100 comprises a transport mechanism 10, an electronic tag supplying part 20, a writing part 30 and a reading part 40 as a processing part, a control part 50, a storage part 51, and a display part 52, and is configured by them. The writing part 30 comprises a first radio wave shielding part 34 with a pair of radio wave shielding members 34b, 34b arranged at a prescribed length interval 34a along the transporting direction of a target object 2 between the target object 2 and an RFID reader / writer 33. The reading part 40 comprises a second radio wave shielding part 43 with a pair of radio wave shielding members 43b, 43b arranged at a prescribed length interval 43a along the transporting direction of the target object 2 between the target object 2 and the RFID reader 42.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to electronic tag processing devices such as electronic tag writing devices, electronic tag reading devices, and electronic tag affixing devices. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known an electronic tag attaching device that includes an electronic tag supplying unit that supplies electronic tags such as RFID tags, an attaching unit that attaches the electronic tags supplied from the electronic tag supplying unit to an object, and a reader / writer that writes information about the object to the electronic tag (see, for example, Patent Document 1).Furthermore, there is also disclosed an attaching device that has a function of reading information from an electronic tag attached to an object using a reader and inspecting whether the information is properly recorded in the electronic tag (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0003] In these prior art attachment devices, a reader / writer writes information to an electronic tag removed from a roll-shaped electronic tag sheet to which multiple electronic tags are attached, or a reader reads information from the electronic tags of multiple objects attached with electronic tags as they are transported on a belt conveyor or the like.

[0004] However, because radio waves are emitted from a reader / writer or reader in a direction that is diffused within a predetermined range, when a process such as writing or reading is being performed on a target electronic tag, the radio waves may also reach electronic tags adjacent to the target electronic tag. This can cause radio wave interference that makes it impossible to read or write information, or can result in reading or writing information not only on the target electronic tag but also on nearby electronic tags, affecting the accuracy of writing and reading. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-064375 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-211479 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present disclosure has been made with a focus on the above-mentioned problem, and aims to suppress the effects of radio wave interference and appropriately process the electronic tags of the objects to be processed, even when multiple objects with electronic tags attached are lined up in close proximity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the electronic tag writing device of the present disclosure comprises a processing unit that transmits radio waves to perform predetermined processing on a plurality of objects that are transported at predetermined intervals along a predetermined transport direction and each of which is equipped with an electronic tag, and a radio wave shielding unit that has a plurality of radio wave shielding members that block radio waves from the processing unit and are arranged between the object to be processed by the processing unit and the processing unit at gaps of a predetermined length along the transport direction of the object. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, even when multiple objects with electronic tags attached are lined up in close proximity, the effects of radio wave interference can be suppressed and the electronic tags of the objects to be processed can be processed appropriately. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are a front view and a plan view of a main part of an electronic tag affixing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing a schematic configuration thereof; [Figure 2] 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of the electronic tag affixing device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are a front view and a bottom view showing a schematic configuration of a main part of a writing section (or a reading section) of Modification 1. FIG. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are a front view and a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a main part of a writing section (or a reading section) of Modification 2. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. To facilitate understanding of the description, the same components in the drawings will be denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0011] (First embodiment) Fig. 1 is a front view and a plan view showing a schematic configuration of an electronic tag affixing device 100 according to a first embodiment of an electronic tag processing device of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of the electronic tag affixing device 100.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the electronic tag attachment device 100 of the first embodiment is configured to include a conveying mechanism 10, an electronic tag supply unit 20, processing units including a writing unit 30 and a reading unit 40, a control unit 50, a memory unit 51, a display unit 52, etc.

[0013] It should be noted that the electronic tag affixing device 100 of the first embodiment includes an electronic tag supply unit 20, but the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration, and in another different embodiment, the electronic tag affixing device may be configured not to include the electronic tag supply unit 20. In this case, for example, an object 2 to which an electronic tag 1 is affixed can be supplied to the transport mechanism 10.

[0014] The conveying mechanism 10 conveys a plurality of objects 2, such as food, daily necessities, equipment, and other products, to which electronic tags 1, such as RFID tags, are to be affixed, in a predetermined conveying direction. In this embodiment, the conveying mechanism 10 conveys a wide variety of objects 2, each of which differs in size and shape, arranged at predetermined intervals along the predetermined conveying direction. During the conveying process by the conveying mechanism 10, an electronic tag 1 is affixed to each object 2 by an electronic tag supplying unit 20, information is written to the electronic tag 1 by a writing unit 30, and the information written to the electronic tag 1 is read by a reading unit 40.

[0015] The transport mechanism 10 includes a conveyor unit 11 as a moving body that moves in one direction (the transport direction) with an object 2 placed on its upper surface, and a drive unit 12 (see FIG. 2) that moves the conveyor unit 11 by the driving force of a drive source such as an electric motor. In this embodiment and the modified example described below, the transport mechanism 10 is configured as a belt conveyor device. The transport mechanism 10 also includes a free roller conveyor 13 disposed downstream of the conveyor unit 11. As a result, the object 2 transported by the conveyor unit 11 is pushed out onto the free roller conveyor 13 and stopped, allowing workers to easily perform subsequent work such as carrying out and sorting.

[0016] The transport mechanism 10 may have any configuration as long as it can transport the object 2, and as other examples, it may be configured as a plate conveyor, a roller conveyor, a chain conveyor, etc. The transport mechanism 10 may also be configured by a robot arm and its drive unit, etc., and the object 2 may be transported in the transport direction by the robot arm.

[0017] 1, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are defined in this specification, and the X-axis represents the lengthwise direction of the conveyor unit 11, which is the direction in which the object 2 is conveyed by the conveying mechanism 10; the Y-axis represents the widthwise direction of the conveyor unit 11, which is a direction intersecting the X-axis; and the Z-axis represents the up-down direction, which is a direction intersecting the X-axis and Y-axis. The X-positive direction represents the direction from upstream to downstream of the conveyor unit 11, and the X-negative direction represents the direction from downstream to upstream. The Y-positive direction represents the left-hand direction when viewed from upstream to downstream, the Y-negative direction represents the right-hand direction, the Z-positive direction represents the upward direction, and the Z-negative direction represents the downward direction.

[0018] It is desirable that the transport mechanism 10 moves the conveyor unit 11 at a constant speed to transport the object 2 continuously at a constant speed. However, the transport mechanism 10 is not limited to this configuration, and can also be configured to transport the object 2 by moving the conveyor unit 11 intermittently, with waiting times at appropriate positions in order to synchronize various timings such as the timing of attaching, writing, and reading the electronic tag 1.

[0019] In this embodiment, since the electronic tag supply unit 20 is provided, the speed of the conveyor unit 11 can be set to, for example, 300 m / min, and the electronic tag supply unit 20 can smoothly and appropriately attach the electronic tags 1 to the objects 2. On the other hand, if the electronic tag supply unit 20 is not provided, the speed of the conveyor unit 11 can be set to, for example, 600 m / min, and the processing of the writing unit 30 and reading unit 40 can be performed at high speed, thereby improving productivity.

[0020] Objects 2 are supplied to the conveyor unit 11 automatically by an object supply device (not shown), such as a robot arm, or manually by an operator. In this embodiment, a plurality of types of objects 2 of different sizes and varieties are supplied. At this time, the object supply device or the like can place the objects 2 without regard to their position or orientation, but in order to more efficiently perform the processes of attaching, writing, and reading the electronic tag 1, each object 2 is placed on one side (right side) of the conveyor unit 11 so that the edges of each object 2 in the negative Y direction (right side) are aligned, as shown in the plan view of FIG. 1 .

[0021] Furthermore, it is preferable that the placement intervals of the objects 2 in the X direction are constant, so that each process on the objects 2 can be carried out efficiently. Specifically, if the length of the objects 2 in the X direction is about 5 cm, the placement intervals can be 3 to 5 cm. However, the placement intervals are not limited to this numerical value and can be set appropriately depending on various conditions such as the size of the objects 2 and the conveyance speed. Furthermore, the placement intervals are not limited to a constant interval and may be variable because the objects 2 can be detected by the first detection sensor 31 and second detection sensor 41 described below.

[0022] By making the arrangement intervals of the objects 2 in the X direction as short as possible, it is possible to perform various processes such as writing and reading for multiple objects 2 more quickly and efficiently. On the other hand, as the arrangement intervals of the objects 2 become shorter, the distance between adjacent electronic tags 1 also becomes shorter, which may result in writing to or reading from adjacent electronic tags 1 other than those to be written to by the writing unit 30 or read by the reading unit 40. To solve this problem, the writing unit 30 and the reading unit 40 are provided with a first radio wave shielding unit 34 and a second radio wave shielding unit 43 to prevent writing to or reading from the electronic tags 1 of adjacent objects 2. The first radio wave shielding unit 34 and the second radio wave shielding unit 43 will be described in detail in the description of the writing unit 30 and the reading unit 40 below.

[0023] The electronic tag supply unit 20 functions as a so-called labeler, and affixes electronic tags 1 to objects 2 under the control of a control unit 50, which will be described in detail later. The electronic tag supply unit 20 has an unwinding unit 21, a winding unit 22, and multiple guide rollers 23, etc. The unwinding unit 21 sets a tag roll 25, which is a long release sheet 24 on which multiple electronic tags 1, each coated with an adhesive, are affixed at predetermined intervals and wound into a roll, and unwinds this tag roll 25. The winding unit 22 winds up the release sheet 24 after the electronic tags 1 have been peeled off. A plurality of guide rollers 23 are arranged between the unwinding unit 21 and the winding unit 22, and guide the tag roll 25 to the affixing position and winding position of the electronic tags 1. Note that no information is written on each electronic tag 1 on the tag roll 25.

[0024] The electronic tag supply unit 20 is not limited to this configuration, and may be configured to peel the electronic tags 1 from a tag sheet in which one or more electronic tags 1 are attached to a short release sheet using a robot arm or the like, and attach them to the object 2, or an operator may manually attach the electronic tags 1 to the object 2 using a handheld labeler or the like.

[0025] The writing unit 30 functions as an electronic tag writing device and writes information about the object 2 to the electronic tag 1 affixed to the object 2 by the electronic tag supply unit 20. The writing unit 30 has a first detection sensor 31, an identification information acquisition unit 32, an RFID reader / writer 33, a first radio wave shielding unit 34, etc.

[0026] The first detection sensor 31, under the control of the control unit 50, detects the object 2 to which the electronic tag 1 is attached, and sends the detection result to the control unit 50. Suitable examples of the first detection sensor 31 include an infrared sensor, a photoelectric sensor, etc., which can detect the passage of the object 2. However, the first detection sensor 31 is not limited to these, and can also be a camera that captures an image of the object 2, and by analyzing the captured image, it is possible to not only detect the object 2, but also the size, variety, etc. of the object 2.

[0027] The identification information acquisition unit 32, under the control of the control unit 50, acquires from the object 2 the identification information that the object 2 individually has for identifying the object 2, and sends it to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 temporarily or non-temporarily stores the acquired identification information in the memory unit 51. The identification information stored in the memory unit 51 is used by the RFID reader / writer 33 to write information to the electronic tag 1, and by the reading unit 40 to inspect the information written in the electronic tag 1.

[0028] A code 3 such as a product code or serial number is attached as a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code to the object 2. The identification information is information recorded in this code, and specific examples include, but are not limited to, the variety of the object 2, the product name, the manufacturer, the distributor, the date of manufacture, the expiration date, the size, the weight, the color, and the material.

[0029] The identification information acquisition unit 32 may be, for example, a code reader, an optical character reader, a color sensor, a weight sensor, etc., and one or a combination of these may be used. Furthermore, the identification information is not limited to information acquired from information recorded in the code 3. For example, the identification information acquisition unit 32 may be a camera that photographs the object 2, and by analyzing the image photographed by the camera, the variety, product name, and other identification information of the object 2 may be acquired.

[0030] Under the control of the control unit 50, the RFID reader / writer 33 communicates with the electronic tag 1 affixed to the object 2 at a predetermined timing and writes information about the object 2 to the electronic tag 1. As shown in FIG. 1 , the RFID reader / writer 33 is installed downstream of the identification information acquisition unit 32 and above the conveyor unit 11 so as to face the electronic tag 1 of the object 2 to which information is to be written. Note that only the antenna of the RFID reader / writer 33 may be installed above the object 2, with the main body installed at a position separate from the antenna. Furthermore, the height of the RFID reader / writer 33 and a first radio wave shielding unit 34 (described later) may be adjusted by moving them up and down depending on the thickness of the object 2. When the electronic tag 1 of the object 2 transported by the conveyor unit 11 comes within a communication range, the RFID reader / writer 33 transmits radio waves under the control of the control unit 50 to write information to the electronic tag 1.

[0031] The information written to the electronic tag 1 can include, for example, at least a part or all of the identification information acquired by the identification information acquisition unit 32, and can further include other information in addition to this identification information.

[0032] The first radio wave shielding section 34 blocks part of the radio waves from the RFID reader / writer 33, limiting the diffusion range of the radio waves. When objects 2 are transported in close proximity, multiple electronic tags 1 may be located within the communication range of the RFID reader / writer 33. In this case, communication between the RFID reader / writer 33 and two or more electronic tags 1 occurs simultaneously, causing crosstalk due to radio wave interference, which may result in improper writing or in writing information to electronic tags 1 that are not the writing target (target).

[0033] To prevent such problems, a first radio wave shielding section 34 is disposed between the object 2 to be written to in the writing section 30 and the RFID reader / writer 33. This first radio wave shielding section 34 is composed of a plurality of (a pair in this embodiment) radio wave shielding members 34b, 34b that shield radio waves and are disposed with a gap 34a of a predetermined length spaced apart along the conveyance direction (X direction), which is the direction in which the objects 2 are lined up.

[0034] The pair of radio wave shielding members 34b, 34b are each made of a flat metal plate member and are arranged so that their flat surfaces intersect with the direction of transmission of radio waves from the RFID reader / writer 33. The pair of radio wave shielding members 34b, 34b are rectangular in shape with a width direction (Y direction) longer than the length in the conveyance direction (X direction). Therefore, the gap 34a between the pair of radio wave shielding members 34b, 34b is also rectangular in shape with a width direction (Y direction) longer than the length in the conveyance direction (X direction).

[0035] The material of the metal plate used for the pair of radio wave shielding members 34b, 34b is not particularly limited, but suitable examples include stainless steel plate, aluminum plate, etc. Stainless steel plate is preferred because it is strong, rust-resistant, hygienic, etc., and aluminum plate is preferred because it is lightweight.

[0036] The length of the gap 34a in the transport direction (X direction) can be set appropriately depending on the communication range of the RFID reader / writer 33, the size of the objects 2, the placement interval of the objects 2, the length of the electronic tags 1, etc. As an example, if the length of the objects 2 in the X direction is about 5 cm, the placement interval of the objects 2 in the X direction is 3 to 5 cm, and the length of the electronic tags 1 in the X direction is about 3 cm, the gap 34a can be set to about 5 cm.

[0037] With the above configuration, radio waves emitted from the RFID reader / writer 33 are blocked by the pair of metallic radio wave shielding members 34b, 34b, but pass through the gap 34a between them. As a result, the communication range of the RFID reader / writer 33 in the conveyance direction (X direction) is limited to the range of this gap 34a, and while communication with the electronic tag 1 of the object 2 located below this gap 34a is possible, communication with the electronic tag 1 of the object 2 adjacent to the front and rear of this object 2 is prevented. This suppresses radio wave interference and appropriately prevents writing errors and writing to other electronic tags 1.

[0038] Furthermore, since the gap 34a is formed long in the width direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the conveying direction (X direction), there is no need to strictly set the position where the electronic tag 1 is attached to the object 2 or the position where the object 2 is arranged in the width direction (Y direction) on the conveyor unit 11. Therefore, even if there is some variation in the position where the electronic tag 1 is attached or the position where the object 2 is arranged, or even if a wide variety of objects 2 with different sizes, shapes, types, etc. are conveyed, communication between the RFID reader / writer 33 and the electronic tag 1 of the target can be properly performed, and information can be written accurately.

[0039] 1 , in this embodiment, the affixing position of the electronic tag 1 to the object 2 is fixed, and the object 2 is arranged on the conveyor unit 11 so that one end of the object 2 is aligned. Therefore, the length of the pair of radio wave shielding members 34b, 34b and the gap 34a in the width direction (Y direction) is made shorter than the length of the conveyor unit 11 in the width direction, and they are arranged in a position offset to one side of the conveyor unit 11. However, this configuration is not limited, and the length of the pair of radio wave shielding members 34b, 34b and the gap 34a in the width direction (Y direction) may be made longer so as to encompass almost the entire width of the conveyor unit 11. This configuration does not limit the affixing position of the electronic tag 1, the arrangement position of the object 2 on the conveyor unit 11, or the size, shape, type, etc. of the object 2. This relaxes strictness in the arrangement position of the object 2 and the affixing position of the electronic tag 1, making it possible to more easily perform these processes and to perform appropriate and accurate writing by the RFID reader / writer 33.

[0040] Furthermore, there is no need to go through the trouble of processing such as drilling holes in the flat plate member, and it is only necessary to arrange two radio wave shielding members 34b, 34b made of metal flat plate members with a gap 34a between them, and the first radio wave shielding section 34 that has the excellent effects described above can be easily obtained.

[0041] The reading unit 40 functions as an electronic tag reading device, reads the information written by the writing unit 30 to the electronic tag 1, and checks whether the information was written appropriately. The reading unit 40 has a second detection sensor 41, an RFID reader 42, a second radio wave shielding unit 43, a control unit 50 as an inspection unit, and the like.

[0042] The second detection sensor 41, under the control of the control unit 50, detects the object 2 to which the electronic tag 1 after writing information is attached, and sends the detection result to the control unit 50. As with the first detection sensor 31, the second detection sensor 41 is preferably, for example, an infrared sensor, a photoelectric sensor, or a camera.

[0043] As a variant, the first detection sensor 31 can be used as the second detection sensor, and the control unit 50 can calculate the time when the object 2, after information has been written, is within the communication range of the RFID reader 42 based on the detection result of the first detection sensor 31, and control the RFID reader 42 to read the information based on this time.

[0044] Under the control of the control unit 50, the RFID reader 42 communicates with the electronic tag 1 affixed to the object 2 at a predetermined timing, reads information written in the electronic tag 1, and sends the information to the control unit 50. As shown in FIG. 1 , the RFID reader 42 is installed downstream of the second detection sensor 41, above the conveyor unit 11, so as to face the electronic tag 1 of the object 2 to be read. Note that the RFID reader 42 may also be installed such that only the antenna is installed above the object 2, with the main body being installed at a position separated from the antenna. Furthermore, the height of the RFID reader / writer 33 and the first radio wave shielding unit 34, which will be described later, may be adjusted by moving them up and down depending on the thickness of the object 2.

[0045] The control unit 50 writes this information temporarily or non-temporarily to the memory unit 51. Next, the control unit 50, which is an inspection unit, reads the identification information acquired by the identification information acquisition unit 32 of the writing unit 30 and stored in the memory unit 51, compares it with the information acquired by the RFID reader 42, and inspects whether this information is appropriate, that is, whether the RFID reader / writer 33 has appropriately written the information to the electronic tag 1. The control unit 50 notifies the worker of the inspection result, for example, by displaying it as text or an image on the display unit 52. The worker can take action such as excluding the object 2 that is deemed inappropriate or rewriting the information.

[0046] The identification information to be checked is not limited to that acquired by the identification information acquisition unit 32. For example, the reading unit 40 may also be provided with an identification information acquisition unit such as a code reader, and when the RFID reader 42 reads the information of the electronic tag 1, this identification information acquisition unit may read the code 3 attached to the object 2 and check the acquired identification information against the information of the electronic tag 1.

[0047] In addition, a second radio wave shielding section 43 is provided between the RFID reader 42 and the object 2 to block part of the radio waves from the RFID reader 42 and limit the diffusion range of the radio waves. This second radio wave shielding section 43 has the same configuration as the first radio wave shielding section 34 and is formed from the same metal flat plate member. That is, the second radio wave shielding section 43 is composed of a pair of radio wave shielding members 43b, 43b that block radio waves and are arranged with a gap 43a of a predetermined length between them along the conveyance direction (X direction), which is the direction in which the objects 2 are lined up.

[0048] By providing such a second radio wave shielding portion 43, the communication range in the transport direction (X direction) of the RFID reader 42 is limited, and even when the objects 2 are transported closely, radio wave interference between the electronic tags 1 is suppressed, allowing the RFID reader 42 to properly read information from the electronic tag 1 of the target to be read. On the other hand, the second radio wave shielding portion 43 does not limit the communication range in the width direction (Y direction), so the electronic tag 1 of the target to be read can be properly read even if there is variation in the affixing position of the electronic tag 1 or the placement position of the object 2.

[0049] The control unit 50 is configured by a control device such as a personal computer, a microcomputer, etc. The control unit 50 includes a processing unit (processor) such as a CPU, memories such as RAM and ROM, and the like.

[0050] The control unit 50 executes a program stored in the memory or storage unit 51 and controls the overall operation of the electronic tag affixing device 100. As shown in Fig. 2, the control unit 50 is connected to the drive unit 12, electronic tag supply unit 20, first detection sensor 31, identification information acquisition unit 32, RFID reader / writer 33, second detection sensor 41, RFID reader 42, storage unit 51, display unit 52, etc. by wire or wirelessly and controls them.

[0051] As described above, the control unit 50 controls the drive unit 12 to move the conveyor unit 11. The control unit 50 also controls the identification information acquisition unit 32 and the RFID reader / writer 33 to acquire identification information and write information based on the timing (time) for acquiring information and the timing (time) for writing information, which are calculated based on the detection result of the first detection sensor 31, the conveying speed of the object 2, etc.

[0052] The control unit 50 also controls the RFID reader 42 to read the information of the electronic tag 1 based on the detection result of the second detection sensor 41, the read timing (time) calculated based on the transport speed of the object 2, etc. The control unit 50 also compares this information with the identification information in the memory unit 51, checks whether the information has been properly written to the electronic tag 1, and displays the inspection result on the display unit 52.

[0053] The inspection performed by the control unit 50 as an inspection unit is not limited to the above. For example, based on the radio wave reception results of the RFID reader 42, the inspection unit can determine that the writing is normal when the strength of the radio waves returned from the electronic tag 1 is equal to or greater than a certain value, and can determine that the writing is abnormal (NG) when the electronic tag 1 does not return radio waves or when the strength of the radio waves returned from the electronic tag 1 is less than a certain value.

[0054] In the above, as a specific example of processing when the electronic tag 1 does not return radio waves, if the ID number of the electronic tag 1 is compared with the pre-registered ID number of the electronic tag 1 and the order is not appropriate (e.g., there is a missing ID number, the ID number is not in ascending or descending order, etc.), it is determined to be an abnormality. Also, in the above, as a specific example of processing when the electronic tag 1 does not return radio waves, a passage sensor is placed immediately before (upstream from) the RFID reader 42, and if the RFID reader 42 does not read the information within 0.5 seconds as a read wait time from detection by the passage sensor, it is determined to be an abnormality. Note that, since the objects 2 to which the electronic tags 1 are affixed are transported sequentially by the conveyor unit 11, it is desirable to set the read wait time to a value according to the speed of the conveyor unit 11.

[0055] Furthermore, as a specific example of processing when the strength of the radio waves from the electronic tag 1 is lower than a certain value, the RFID reader 42 is capable of measuring the radio wave strength, and determines that an abnormality has occurred when the measured radio wave strength is lower than a preset threshold, or when the radio wave strength is lower than that of the electronic tag 1 read one time previously by a certain amount or more.

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 50 displays the inspection results on the display unit 52, but this is not limited to this, and in other different embodiments, for example, if an abnormality is found, the conveyor unit 11 (or the entire electronic tag affixing device 100) may be stopped and an alarm sound may be emitted, or an appropriate defective product mark may be printed on the object 2 in which an abnormality in the electronic tag 1 is detected.

[0057] The storage unit 51 is configured with a storage device such as a hard disk or SSD built into or external to the control unit 50. The storage unit 51 may be installed in a factory or the like, or may be a storage device (database, etc.) installed in a cloud server or other server connected via a communication network such as the Internet.

[0058] For example, a liquid crystal panel with a touch panel function can be used as the display unit 52. The display unit 52 displays the operation screen of the electronic tag affixing device 100, the test results, and various other messages and images.

[0059] An example of the operation of the electronic tag affixing device 100 configured as described above will be described below. First, a plurality of objects 2 of different types, sizes, etc. are supplied from an object supply device to a conveyor unit 11 that rotates and moves at a predetermined speed, and are transported in the transport direction. During this transport process, an electronic tag supply unit 20 affixes an electronic tag 1 to the surface of the object 2.

[0060] Next, the first detection sensor 31 of the writing unit 30 detects the object 2 and sends the detection result to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 controls the identification information acquiring unit 32 based on this detection result. The identification information acquiring unit 32 reads identification information from the code 3 attached to the object 2 and sends it to the control unit 50. Next, the control unit 50 generates information to be written to the electronic tag 1 based on the acquired identification information and sends it to the RFID reader / writer 33, and controls the RFID reader / writer 33 based on the detection result. The RFID reader / writer 33 writes the information acquired from the control unit 50 to the electronic tag 1 when the object 2 is located within a communication range. At this time, the pair of radio wave shielding members 34b, 34b of the first radio wave shielding unit 34 block radio waves diffusing upstream and downstream in the conveyance direction, so that information can be properly written to the electronic tag 1 to be written using radio waves that pass through the gap 34a.

[0061] Next, the object 2 is transported by the conveyor unit 11 to the reading unit 40, where the second detection sensor 41 detects the object 2 and sends the detection result to the control unit 50. Based on this detection result, the control unit 50 controls the RFID reader 42 when the object 2 comes within the communication range. The RFID reader 42 reads the information written in the electronic tag 1 of the object 2 and sends it to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 compares the acquired information with the identification information stored in the memory unit 51, inspects whether the information has been properly written in the electronic tag 1 by the RFID reader / writer 33, and displays the inspection result on the display unit 52. The object 2 is then transported by the conveyor unit 11 and pushed out onto the free roller conveyor 13.

[0062] (Variation) Modified examples of the writing unit 30 and the reading unit 40 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a front view and a bottom view showing the schematic configuration of the main parts of the writing unit 30 (or the reading unit 40) of Modified Example 1. FIG. 4 is a front view and a plan view showing the schematic configuration of the main parts of the writing unit 30 (or the reading unit 40) of Modified Example 2. The positional relationship of the components of the main parts of the reading unit 40 of Modified Example 1 and Modified Example 2 is the same as the positional relationship of the components of the main parts of the writing unit 30 of each modified example. For this reason, in FIGS. 3 and 4, the reference numerals of the components of the main parts of the writing unit 30 of Modified Example 1 and Modified Example 2 are assigned, and the reference numerals of the components of the main parts of the reading unit 40 of Modified Example 1 and Modified Example 2 are assigned in parentheses.

[0063] 3, the writing unit 30 of the first modification has the same configuration as the writing unit 30 of the first embodiment, except that the RFID reader / writer 33 and the first radio wave shielding unit 34 are disposed below the conveyor unit 11 and housed within the conveyor unit 11. The reading unit 40 of the first modification also has the same configuration as the reading unit 40 of the first embodiment, except that the RFID reader 42 and the second radio wave shielding unit 43 are disposed below the conveyor unit 11 and housed within the conveyor unit 11.

[0064] In addition, in variant example 1, after the electronic tag 1 is attached to the object 2 by the electronic tag supply unit 20, the object 2 is automatically or manually inverted by an appropriate inversion device so that the surface to which the electronic tag 1 is attached is positioned downward.

[0065] In the writing unit 30 or the reading unit 40 of the first modification, the pair of radio wave shielding members 34b, 34b, 43b, 43b also limits the communication range in the conveyance direction, thereby suppressing radio wave interference between multiple electronic tags 1 and enabling appropriate writing or reading of information to or from the electronic tags 1 of the objects 2 to be written to or read from. Furthermore, in the first modification, the RFID reader / writer 33 and the first radio wave shielding member 34, and the RFID reader 42 and the second radio wave shielding member 43, are housed within the conveyor unit 11, enabling the device to be made more compact and simplified. Furthermore, by placing the objects 2 with the surface to which the electronic tags 1 are affixed facing downward, the heightwise (Z-direction) distance (Z-axis direction) between the RFID reader / writer 33 or RFID reader 42 housed within the conveyor unit 11 and the electronic tags 1 can be maintained substantially constant, even if the thickness of the objects 2 varies. Furthermore, the RFID reader / writer 33 or RFID reader 42 can be placed closer to the electronic tags 1. As a result, communication sensitivity is improved, and writing by the RFID reader / writer 33 or reading by the RFID reader 42 can be performed with higher accuracy.

[0066] 4, the writing unit 30 of the second modification has the RFID reader / writer 33 and the first radio wave shielding unit 34 arranged on one side in the width direction (Y direction) of the conveyor unit 11. In this case, a pair of radio wave shielding members 34b, 34b are arranged so that their flat surfaces intersect with the placement surface of the conveyor unit 11. Similarly, the reading unit 40 of the second modification has the RFID reader 42 and the second radio wave shielding unit 43 arranged on one side in the width direction (Y direction) of the conveyor unit 11. In this case, a pair of radio wave shielding members 43b, 43b are arranged so that their flat surfaces intersect with the placement surface of the conveyor unit 11.

[0067] In addition, in variant example 2, the electronic tag supply unit 20 is attached to the side (right side) of the object 2 in the width direction (Y direction), and multiple objects 2 are arranged with this side aligned to the right side of the conveyor unit 11.

[0068] In the writing unit 30 or the reading unit 40 of the second modification, the pair of radio wave shielding members 34b, 34b, 43b, 43b also limits the communication range in the conveyance direction, thereby suppressing radio wave interference between multiple electronic tags 1 and enabling appropriate writing or reading of information to or from the electronic tags 1 of the objects 2 to be written to or read from. Furthermore, because the electronic tags 1 are affixed to the side surfaces of the objects 2 and the positions of these side surfaces are aligned, the distance in the width direction (Y direction) between the RFID reader / writer 33 or RFID reader 42 disposed on the right side of the conveyor unit 11 and the electronic tags 1 can be maintained approximately constant. Furthermore, the RFID reader / writer 33 or RFID reader 42 can be disposed closer to the electronic tags 1. As a result, communication sensitivity is improved, allowing for more accurate writing by the RFID reader / writer 33 or reading by the RFID reader 42.

[0069] As described above, the electronic tag attaching device 100 as an electronic tag processing device of this embodiment and modified examples comprises a writing unit 30 and a reading unit 40 as processing units that transmit radio waves to perform predetermined processing on a plurality of objects 2 that are transported at predetermined intervals along a predetermined transport direction and each of which has an electronic tag 1 attached, and a first radio wave shielding unit 34 and a second radio wave shielding unit 43 that have a plurality of radio wave shielding members 34b, 34b, 43b, 43b that block radio waves from the processing unit, and are arranged with gaps 34a, 43a of a predetermined length along the transport direction of the object 2 between the object 2 to be processed in the processing unit and the processing unit.

[0070] This configuration limits the communication range of radio waves from the processing unit in the transport direction of the object 2, suppressing radio wave interference between the electronic tag 1 of the object 2 to be processed and the electronic tag 1 of other adjacent objects 2, allowing the specified processing (writing, reading) to be performed appropriately on the electronic tag 1 of the object 2 to be processed.

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment and the modified example, the writing unit 30, which is a processing unit, includes a reader / writer (RFID reader / writer 33) that writes information about the object 2 to the electronic tag 1. Furthermore, the writing unit 30 includes an identification information acquisition unit 32 that acquires identification information that identifies the object 2, and the reader / writer writes information to the electronic tag 1 based on the identification information acquired by the identification information acquisition unit 32. With this configuration, the electronic tag affixing device 100 can write information about the object 2 to the electronic tag 1 appropriately and accurately.

[0072] In this embodiment and its modified examples, the reading unit 40, which is a processing unit, includes a reader (RFID reader 42) that reads information written in the electronic tag 1. The reading unit 40 further includes an inspection unit (control unit 50) that checks the accuracy of the information by comparing the previously acquired identification information of the object 2 with the information read by the reader. With this configuration, the electronic tag affixing device 100 can properly and accurately read the information written in the electronic tag 1, and can also check whether the information written by the reader / writer was correct. By presenting the inspection results to an operator or the like, it is possible to quickly and appropriately deal with an object 2 to which an electronic tag 1 with inappropriately written information is affixed.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment and the modified example, an electronic tag supply unit 20 is provided that supplies electronic tags 1 and sequentially affixes them to a plurality of objects 2, so that either electronic tags 1 with no information written thereto or electronic tags 1 with information written thereto can be affixed to the objects 2. Then, the affixed electronic tags 1 can be appropriately processed by a processing unit.

[0074] While the electronic tag processing device of the present disclosure has been described above based on the embodiments and modifications, the specific configuration is not limited to these. Changes and additions to the design are permitted as long as they do not deviate from the gist of the invention as defined in each claim.

[0075] For example, the reading unit 40 in the above embodiment and modified examples may be provided with a sorting unit that sorts the objects 2 depending on whether or not information has been properly written to the electronic tag 1. This sorting unit may be configured to have a push-out mechanism using, for example, an air cylinder or the like as a drive source, and the push-out mechanism may push out of the conveyor unit 11 objects 2 for which information has not been properly written to the electronic tag 1. The sorting unit may also be configured to have marking means that prints a defective product mark on objects 2 for which information has not been properly written to the electronic tag 1, as described above.

[0076] In the above embodiment and modified example, the writing unit 30 is provided with a first detection sensor 31, and the reading unit 40 is provided with a second detection sensor 41. However, this configuration is not limited to this. For example, instead of these, as shown by the imaginary lines in FIG. 1 , a detection sensor 31A for detecting the object 2 and a rotation angle sensor (or a speed sensor for detecting the rotation speed, etc.) 31B for detecting the rotation angle of the conveyor unit 11 may be provided at the most upstream side of the transport mechanism 10. The control unit 50 calculates the time when the object 2 is within the communication range of the RFID reader / writer 33 and the RFID reader 42 based on the time when the detection sensor 31A detects the object 2 placed on the conveyor unit 11, the distance from the detection position (the installation location of the detection sensor 31A) to the RFID reader / writer 33 and the RFID reader 42, and the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle sensor 31B. The control unit 50 can be configured to control the RFID reader / writer 33 and the RFID reader 42 based on this calculated time.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment and modified examples, the electronic tag affixing device 100 includes a writing unit 30 and a reading unit 40 having an inspection unit as processing units, but the electronic tag affixing device of the present disclosure is not limited to these configurations. As another different embodiment, for example, the electronic tag affixing device may be configured to include only one of the processing units, the writing unit 30 and the reading unit 40, or to include a processing unit that performs another different process. Furthermore, the reading unit 40 may not include an inspection unit and may only read and record information.

[0078] Furthermore, although the above describes an embodiment and modifications of the electronic tag affixing device 100 as one embodiment of the electronic tag processing device, the electronic tag processing device is not limited to the electronic tag affixing device 100. For example, the electronic tag processing device may be an electronic tag writing device having at least the writing unit 30, or an electronic tag reading device having at least the reading unit 40. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1: Electronic tag 2: Object 2n: Object 20: Electronic tag supply unit 30: Writing unit (processing unit) 32: Identification information acquisition unit 33: RFID reader / writer 34: First radio wave shielding section 34a: Gap 34b: Radio wave shielding member 40: Reading unit (processing unit) 42: RFID reader 43: Second radio wave shielding part 43a: Gap 43b: Radio wave shielding member 50: Control unit (inspection unit) 100: Electronic tag attaching device (electronic tag processing device)

Claims

1. a processing unit that transmits radio waves to perform predetermined processing on a plurality of objects that are transported at predetermined intervals along a predetermined transport direction and each of which has an electronic tag attached; a radio wave shielding unit having a plurality of radio wave shielding members that block radio waves from the processing unit, the radio wave shielding members being arranged at predetermined intervals along the transport direction of the object between the object to be processed in the processing unit and the processing unit, The radio wave shielding section is configured such that a plurality of radio wave shielding members, each made of a rectangular flat plate member whose width is longer than its length in the conveying direction, are arranged in pairs along the conveying direction, and the gap between the paired radio wave shielding members is rectangular in shape, with the width being longer than its length in the conveying direction. An electronic tag processing device characterized by:

2. The processing unit includes a reader / writer that writes information about the object to the electronic tag.

2. The electronic tag processing device according to claim 1.

3. The reader / writer includes an identification information acquisition unit that acquires identification information that identifies the object, and writes the information to the electronic tag based on the identification information acquired by the identification information acquisition unit.

3. The electronic tag processing device according to claim 2.

4. The processing unit includes a reader that reads information written in the electronic tag.

4. The electronic tag processing device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic tag processing device is a device for processing electronic tags.

5. an inspection unit that checks the accuracy of the information by comparing the identification information of the object obtained in advance with the information read by the reader.

5. The electronic tag processing device according to claim 4.

6. an electronic tag supply unit that supplies the electronic tags and sequentially affixes them to a plurality of the objects; 6. The electronic tag processing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

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