A two-dimensional code positioning and scanning device for cigarette warehouse delivery

Abstract

This utility model discloses a QR code positioning and scanning device for cigarette outbound shipment, belonging to the field of tobacco logistics decoration technology. It includes a conveyor and first and second supports arranged along the feeding direction. A photo-triggered photoelectric switch is installed on the inlet side of the first support to detect when a package of cigarettes arrives at the first workstation. A code-triggered photoelectric switch is installed on the inlet side of the second support to detect when a package of cigarettes arrives at the second workstation. Each support is equipped with a camera and a code reader with an adjustable reading area, both facing the working surface of the conveyor. A controller connects each photoelectric switch, camera, and code reader. The camera captures an image of the QR code position on the top surface of the cigarette package, and its field of view covers the longitudinal offset area of ​​the QR code. The code reader locates and identifies the QR code based on the image. This device effectively solves the problem of high missed reading rates caused by longitudinal offset of the QR code printing position and fluctuations in the conveyor roller speed during the outbound scanning process of cigarettes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of tobacco logistics decoration technology, specifically to a QR code positioning and scanning device for cigarette delivery. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, tobacco logistics centers generally use fixed photoelectric trigger scanning devices for scanning outbound cigarette packs. However, the following problems exist when using this equipment for outbound processing: 1) There is a certain longitudinal offset error in the printing position of the QR code on the outer box of cigarette packs from different batches; 2) The conveyor rollers are prone to speed fluctuations of ±0.3m / s when running at high speed, causing a mismatch between the fixed timing photoelectric trigger signal and the working window of the barcode reader. Based on the above two problems, data statistics show that the current missed reading rate of QR codes on cigarette packs is as high as 28%, which seriously affects outbound efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a QR code positioning and scanning device for cigarettes leaving the warehouse, so as to solve the problem of high missed reading rate caused by longitudinal offset of QR code printing position and fluctuation of conveyor roller speed during the current cigarette leaving the warehouse scanning process.

[0004] To solve the above problems, this utility model provides the following technical solution: A QR code positioning and scanning device for cigarette delivery; it includes a conveyor for transporting cigarettes, and a first support and a second support are arranged sequentially along the feeding direction of the conveyor; wherein the first support is located upstream and the second support is located downstream; A photo-triggered photoelectric switch is installed on the inlet side of the conveyor frame near the first support; the photo-triggered photoelectric switch is used to detect when the smoke from the part arrives at the first station. A code-triggered photoelectric switch is installed on the inlet side of the conveyor frame near the second support; the code-triggered photoelectric switch is used to detect when the smoke sample arrives at the second station; A camera and a barcode reader are respectively installed on the first and second supports; both the camera and the barcode reader are positioned facing the working surface of the conveyor. The signal output terminals of the photo-triggered photoelectric switch, the photo-reader triggered photoelectric switch, the control signal input and data output terminals of the camera, and the control signal input and data input terminals of the barcode reader are all electrically connected to the controller. The camera is used to capture an image of the top surface of the cigarette pack containing the location of the QR code, and the field of view of the camera covers the longitudinal offset area of ​​the QR code on the outer box of the cigarette pack on the working surface of the conveyor. The barcode reader is a barcode reader with an adjustable reading area function, which is used to identify the QR code.

[0005] Preferably, the first and second supports have similar structures, both being gantry-shaped upright structures spanning the conveyor, and both have a height and width greater than the maximum outer dimensions of the cigarette to be conveyed; the camera and the barcode reader are respectively installed on the lower side of the middle crossbar of the first and second supports.

[0006] Furthermore, both the first and second brackets are machined from aluminum alloy four-slot square columns; the camera and barcode reader can be adjusted to be installed relative to the first and second brackets; the height of the first bracket is less than the height of the second bracket.

[0007] Preferably, a supplementary light source is also provided on the first bracket; the illumination area of ​​the supplementary light source is consistent with the field of view of the camera.

[0008] Furthermore, the supplementary light source is an LED linear light source or an LED surface light source.

[0009] Preferably, there are two cameras and two barcode readers, which are symmetrically mounted on the first bracket and the second bracket.

[0010] The beneficial effects of this utility model are reflected in the following aspects: 1. The camera is mounted on the first bracket, and its field of view is designed to cover the entire longitudinal offset area of ​​the QR code on the outer box of cigarettes on the conveyor working surface, ensuring that the QR code can be reliably captured no matter how its longitudinal position on the top surface of the cigarettes changes. Combined with the adjustable reading area function of the barcode reader, after receiving the QR code position information, it can dynamically adjust its reading window range and accurately focus on the actual position of the QR code for reading, thereby effectively overcoming the problems of inaccurate positioning and missed reading caused by the longitudinal offset of the QR code printing position. 2. When a carton of cigarettes triggers the upstream photo-taking photoelectric switch, the system has sufficient time to complete image acquisition and position information processing. By the time the carton of cigarettes reaches the downstream barcode reader trigger photoelectric switch, the barcode reader has already acquired accurate position information and is ready. This reduces the impact of conveyor roller speed fluctuations on the matching accuracy of a single trigger timing and barcode reading window, and improves the system's tolerance to speed fluctuations. Even when the QR code position is offset and the conveyor speed fluctuates, it can still achieve accurate barcode scanning with a high success rate. This greatly improves the automation efficiency and accuracy of cigarette shipments from the tobacco logistics center. 4. The first and second supports adopt a gantry-type upright structure that spans the conveyor. At the same time, the camera and barcode reader can be adjusted to adjust the installation position relative to the supports, so that the device can adapt to different specifications of conveyors or perform fine calibration, improving the versatility and installation flexibility of the device. The design of the first support being lower than the second support is conducive to staggering the field of vision or adapting to different equipment layouts. 5. By setting up supplementary lighting sources, clear and high-contrast images of cigarette packs are ensured under various lighting conditions, providing a basic guarantee for the accurate identification of QR code positions in the future; by setting up two cameras and two barcode readers and installing them symmetrically on the bracket, this structure can effectively cover the width of the conveyor, adapt to cigarette packs of different sizes or improve the ability to capture QR codes on wide cigarette packs, thereby improving the overall processing efficiency. 6. To address the issue of QR code position offset and speed coupling, an innovative dynamic visual compensation system was designed. This system captures the spatial coordinates of the QR code in real time using a camera, and then the code reader accurately reads the code, effectively eliminating the trigger position error caused by QR code position offset. It can also compensate for the impact of conveying speed fluctuations on the trigger timing. After using this solution, the missed scan rate of QR codes on cigarette packs decreased from 10% to 0%. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention in an embodiment; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the connection of electrical components in this embodiment; Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Conveyor; 2. First support; 3. Second support; 4. Photo-trigger photoelectric switch; 5. Code-reading photoelectric switch; 6. Camera; 7. Code reader; 8. Controller. Detailed Implementation

[0012] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments: Example: Reference Figure 1 This embodiment provides a QR code positioning and scanning device for cigarette delivery; it includes a conveyor 1 for transporting cigarettes, and the conveyor 1 used in this embodiment is a conveyor roller conveyor; the base speed of the conveyor roller conveyor is relatively stable, but the actual operating speed may have instantaneous fluctuations within the allowable range; A first support 2 and a second support 3 are arranged sequentially along the feeding direction of the conveyor 1; wherein the first support 2 is located upstream and the second support 3 is located downstream; the distance between the first support 2 and the second support 3 is to ensure that when the cigarette pack moves from the photo-taking station to the code-reading station, the controller has already processed the QR code location information and transmitted it to the code reader. Figure 1 The arrows in the diagram indicate the feeding direction of the conveyor. A photo-triggered photoelectric switch 4 is installed on the inlet side of the conveyor 1 frame near the first support 2; the photo-triggered photoelectric switch 4 is used to detect when the smoke from the part arrives at the first station. A code-triggered photoelectric switch 5 is installed on the inlet side of the conveyor frame near the second support 3; the code-triggered photoelectric switch 5 is used to detect when the cigarette arrives at the second station; both the photo-triggered photoelectric switch 4 and the code-triggered photoelectric switch 5 are SICK GL18 Series suppression type photoelectric sensors; A camera 6 and a barcode reader 7 are respectively installed on the first bracket 2 and the second bracket 3; both the camera 6 and the barcode reader 7 are positioned facing the working surface of the conveyor 1; the camera 6 is an industrial camera with a global shutter and high frame rate to capture clear images of high-speed moving parts and avoid motion blur; the barcode reader 7 is a high-speed, high-resolution industrial barcode reader that supports receiving external commands dynamically through communication interfaces such as Ethernet and RS232, and can adjust its reading window position; the barcode reader 7 is a Cognex DataMan 470 barcode reader; the camera 6 is a Basler acA1920-155um global shutter CMOS camera. The signal output terminals of the photo-triggered photoelectric switch 4, the code-triggered photoelectric switch 5, the control signal input and data output terminals of the camera 6, and the control signal input and data input terminals of the code reader 7 are all electrically connected to the controller 8. The controller 8 is typically an industrial PLC or industrial computer with built-in customized control software, responsible for coordinating the logic control, image processing, coordinate calculation and transmission, code reader parameter setting, and data recording and communication of the entire scanning process. The camera 6 is used to capture images of the top surface of the cigarette pack containing the QR code location, and the field of view of the camera 6 covers the longitudinal offset area of ​​the QR code on the outer box of the cigarette pack on the working surface of the conveyor 1. After receiving the photo-triggered signal, the controller 8 immediately controls the camera 6 to capture the image, and accurately calculates the actual pixel coordinates of the QR code area relative to the fixed reference point of the cigarette pack in the conveying direction from the image through built-in image processing algorithms such as edge detection, feature matching, or template matching, and then converts them into physical space coordinates through camera calibration parameters. The code reader 7 is a code reader with an adjustable reading area function, which is used to identify the QR code. The controller 8 sends the calculated physical coordinates of the QR code to the reader 7 in real time via the communication interface. The reader 7 then dynamically adjusts the position and size of its internal reading window to precisely focus the reading resource on the actual location where the QR code appears. The controller 8 is a PLC controller manufactured by Siemens.

[0013] The first support 2 and the second support 3 have similar structures. Both are portal frame structures that span the conveyor 1, and their height and width are both greater than the maximum outer dimensions of the cigarette to be conveyed. The camera 4 and the code reader 5 are respectively installed on the lower side of the middle crossbar of the first support 2 and the second support 3.

[0014] Both the first bracket 2 and the second bracket 3 are machined from aluminum alloy four-slot square columns; the aluminum alloy material ensures structural strength while reducing overall weight; the camera 6 and the barcode reader 7 can be adjusted relative to the first bracket 2 and the second bracket 3; specifically, during installation, ordinary mounting bases or mounting sliders, pan-tilt units, etc., can be used for installation, allowing for easy fine-tuning along the width and height directions of the conveyor on the crossbars of the brackets to accommodate different specifications of parts or optimize the viewing angle; the height of the first bracket 2 is less than the height of the second bracket 3. This height difference design helps to avoid mutual interference in the field of vision between the equipment on the two brackets, and also better adapts to the spatial layout of the equipment on and off the conveyor line.

[0015] A supplementary light source is also provided on the first bracket 2; the illumination area of ​​this supplementary light source is consistent with the field of view of the camera 6. The supplementary light source works synchronously with the camera 6, and is lit simultaneously by the controller 8 when the photo is triggered, providing stable and uniform illumination.

[0016] The supplementary lighting source is either a linear LED light source or a surface LED light source. LED light sources have the advantages of long lifespan, high brightness, fast response, and low heat generation, making them suitable for high-frequency use in industrial environments.

[0017] Two cameras (6) and two barcode readers (7) are provided, symmetrically mounted on the first bracket (2) and the second bracket (3). The two cameras (6) are mounted side by side horizontally, and their combined field of view must completely cover the effective working width of the conveyor and the possible lateral offset range of the QR code. Coordination such as redundancy backup can be performed through the controller software. Similarly, the two barcode readers (7) are symmetrically mounted, which can process QR codes on different sides of the conveyor or at different positions on the same pack of cigarettes, or the processing efficiency can be improved by assigning tasks through the controller. This is especially suitable for wide conveyors or situations where multiple codes need to be read simultaneously.

[0018] The working process of the utility model device in this embodiment is as follows: When a pack of cigarettes is conveyed to the area below the first support 2, its leading edge triggers the photoelectric switch 4. Upon receiving the signal, the controller 8 immediately controls the supplementary lighting source to illuminate and triggers two cameras 6 to simultaneously capture a high-resolution image of the top surface of the cigarette pack. The controller 8 uses its built-in image processing algorithm to analyze the captured image in real time, quickly and accurately identifying and locating the precise area of ​​the QR code in the image, and calculating the longitudinal physical coordinates of the QR code's center point relative to a preset reference point. The controller 8 sends this QR code coordinate information in advance to the barcode reader 7 located on the second support 3 downstream via the communication network. As the cigarette pack continues to move forward with the conveyor 1, when its leading edge reaches the position of the barcode trigger photoelectric switch 5, a trigger signal is sent to the controller 8. The controller 8 then issues a barcode reading command to the barcode reader 7. At this time, the barcode reader 7 dynamically adjusts its internal imaging sensor based on the received QR code coordinate information, precisely aligning the reading window with the actual location of the QR code. The barcode reader 7 performs rapid image capture and decoding within this precisely positioned window, greatly improving the success rate and accuracy of reading even when there is longitudinal positional deviation or fluctuation in conveying speed. If the code reading is successful, the data is uploaded to the management system; if a code reading failure occurs, such as timeout or verification error, the controller 8 can record the anomaly and trigger an alarm or subsequent processing procedure. Throughout the entire process, the controller 8 strictly coordinates the time sequence of taking pictures, image processing, coordinate transmission, and code reading triggering to ensure that information transmission and equipment actions are accurately synchronized during the movement of the cigarette pack.

Claims

1. A QR code positioning and scanning device for cigarette delivery, comprising a conveyor (1) for transporting cigarette cartons; characterized in that: A first support (2) and a second support (3) are arranged sequentially along the feeding direction of the conveyor (1); wherein the first support (2) is located upstream and the second support (3) is located downstream. A photo-trigger photoelectric switch (4) is installed on the inlet side of the conveyor (1) frame near the first support (2); the photo-trigger photoelectric switch (4) is used to detect when the smoke from the part arrives at the first station. A code-triggered photoelectric switch (5) is installed on the inlet side of the conveyor (1) frame near the second support (3); the code-triggered photoelectric switch (5) is used to detect when the smoke arrives at the second station; A camera (6) and a barcode reader (7) are respectively installed on the first support (2) and the second support (3); the camera (6) and the barcode reader (7) are both positioned facing the working surface of the conveyor (1); The signal output terminals of the photo-triggered photoelectric switch (4), the signal output terminals of the code-triggered photoelectric switch (5), the control signal input terminals and data output terminals of the camera (6), and the control signal input terminals and data input terminals of the code reader (7) are all electrically connected to the controller (8); the camera (6) is used to capture images of the top surface of the cigarette pack containing the QR code location, and the field of view of the camera (6) covers the longitudinal offset area of ​​the QR code on the outer box of the cigarette pack on the working surface of the conveyor (1); the code reader (7) is a code reader with an adjustable code reading area function, which is used to identify the QR code.

2. The cigarette outbound QR code positioning and scanning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first support (2) and the second support (3) have similar structures. They are both portal frame structures that span the conveyor (1), and their height and width are both greater than the maximum outer dimensions of the cigarette to be conveyed. The camera (6) and the code reader (7) are respectively installed on the lower side of the crossbar in the middle of the first support (2) and the second support (3).

3. A cigarette outbound QR code positioning and scanning device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The first bracket (2) and the second bracket (3) are both made of aluminum alloy four-slot square columns; the camera (6) and the barcode reader (7) can be adjusted to install relative to the first bracket (2) and the second bracket (3); the height of the first bracket (2) is less than the height of the second bracket (3).

4. The cigarette outbound QR code positioning and scanning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A supplementary light source is also provided on the first bracket (2); the illumination area of ​​the supplementary light source is consistent with the field of view of the camera (6).

5. A cigarette outbound QR code positioning and scanning device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The supplementary lighting source is an LED linear light source or an LED surface light source.

6. The cigarette outbound QR code positioning and scanning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two cameras (6) and two code readers (7) are provided, and they are symmetrically installed on the first bracket (2) and the second bracket (3).

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