Imaging system, cutting device, imaging method, and program

Abstract

To acquire shapes of nails of five fingers easily and accurately.SOLUTION: An imaging system 50 includes: a placing rack 4 provided parallel to a predetermined reference surface R on which one hand is placed in a state that five fingers are arranged in a row so that the palm side is applied; a camera 51 as imaging means provided so that an optical axis is parallel to a normal line of the reference surface R and an imaging direction is directed to a placing rack 4 side for imaging each nail T of the five fingers U placed on the placing rack 4; and light guide means 55 provided at a position corresponding to the thumb Us of the five fingers U for emitting incident light from the nail T in the thumb Us so that the incident light becomes parallel to the normal line gradually.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an imaging system, a cutting device, an imaging method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are known techniques for printing on nails and for creating and selecting stickers or tapes that fit the shape of the nail. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a device that extracts the outline of a nail from an image of a user's hand and estimates which nail tip will fit the user's nails from among nail tips of various sizes and shapes.

[0003] To obtain the shape of the nails, it is troublesome and time-consuming for the user to position each finger and obtain images. In this regard, if the outline of the nails can be extracted from an image of the user's hand as in the example described in Patent Document 1, images of all five fingers on one hand can be obtained at once, which is convenient for the user. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-116375 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when the five fingers of one hand are spread out and placed, the four fingers from the little finger to the index finger can be arranged in an almost flat plane, whereas the thumb is placed at a large angle. In this regard, Patent Document 1 describes a method of dealing with this issue by capturing images of the thumb and the other four fingers separately and performing various correction processes, etc., and by instructing the person measuring (user) to "position the thumb with the nail pointing upwards" so that images of the thumb and the other four fingers can be captured simultaneously.

[0006] However, when correction processing or the like is used to address this issue, the burden on the control unit that performs the processing increases. On the other hand, instructing the user to point the nail of the thumb upwards forces the user into an unnatural posture. In addition, even if the user is instructed to do so, the image is not necessarily captured in the correct orientation.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide an imaging system, a cutting device, an imaging method, and a program that can easily and accurately obtain the shapes of the nails of five fingers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problem, one aspect of the imaging system according to the present invention comprises: a placement table that is provided parallel to a predetermined reference plane and on which one hand is placed with the palm side of the hand and the five fingers aligned; an imaging means for imaging the nails of each of the five fingers placed on the table, the imaging means being provided such that an optical axis of the imaging means is parallel to a normal line of the reference surface and an imaging direction of the imaging means is oriented toward the table; a light guiding means provided at a position corresponding to a thumb among the five fingers, for guiding incident light from a nail of the thumb so as to be nearly parallel to the normal line; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0009] Moreover, one aspect of the cutting device according to the present invention is An imaging system according to any one of claims 1 to 4; a cutting unit that performs a cutting operation on the base tape based on information acquired based on an image of the nail acquired by the imaging means of the imaging system to generate a masking tape; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0010] Moreover, one aspect of the imaging method according to the present invention is to When the nails of each of the five fingers of one hand are placed with the palm side on a placement stand provided parallel to a predetermined reference plane, the nails are imaged by an imaging means provided such that the optical axis is parallel to the normal to the reference plane and the imaging direction is directed toward the placement stand, When imaging at least the nail of the thumb of the five fingers, the imaging means is moved by a moving mechanism to a position corresponding to the thumb parallel to the reference plane, and the imaging means is caused to image the nail via a light guiding means for emitting incident light from the nail of the thumb so as to approach parallel to the normal line. It is characterized by:

[0011] Moreover, one aspect of the program according to the present invention is a computer of an imaging system for imaging the nails of each of the five fingers of one hand, the hand being placed with the palm side on a placement stand provided parallel to a predetermined reference plane, by an imaging means provided such that an optical axis is parallel to a normal to the reference plane and an imaging direction faces the placement stand, an imaging control function for controlling an imaging operation of the imaging means; a movement control function for moving the imaging means parallel to the reference plane so as to image each nail individually at a position corresponding to each of the five fingers; Realize this, When imaging the nail of the thumb of the five fingers, the movement control function moves the imaging means so as to image the nail via a light guiding means for emitting incident light from the nail so as to approach parallel to the normal line, and the imaging control function causes the imaging means to image the nail at a position corresponding to the light guiding means. It is characterized by: Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily and accurately obtain the shapes of the nails of the five fingers. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1]1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a cutting device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view of a main part of the cutting device shown in FIG. 1 with the front side cut away to show the internal configuration. [Diagram 3] 3 is a perspective view of a main part of the cutting device shown in FIG. 2 with a finger placed on the platform. FIG. [Figure 4] 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a schematic positional relationship between a finger placed on a placement table, a camera, and a light guiding unit. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of an example of a tape set table. [Figure 6] FIG. 1A is a plan view showing an example of a base tape, and FIG. 1B is a plan view showing an example of a base tape or a mask base. [Figure 7] 1 is a perspective view showing a moving body including an imaging unit and a cut plotter unit of a cutting device according to an embodiment, and a main part of the moving mechanism thereof; [Figure 8] 2 is a perspective view of a main portion of the cut plotter unit with the front side cut away to show the internal configuration. FIG. [Figure 9] 2 is a perspective view of a main portion of the cut plotter unit with the front side cut away to show the internal configuration. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main part of a control configuration example of a cutting device according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a masking tape having nail-shaped cutouts formed therein. [Figure 12] 13 is a top view of a finger showing a state in which the masking tape shown in FIG. 12 is attached to the finger. [Figure 13] 4 is a flowchart showing an imaging process according to the embodiment. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart showing a cutting process according to the embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a masking tape on which a cutout portion having a T-shaped pattern is formed. [Figure 16]1A and 1B are plan views showing an example of a masking tape having cutouts for a pattern to form a star-shaped design, and FIG. 1C is a top view of a finger showing a nail on which star-shaped nail art has been applied using the masking tape shown in 1A and 1B. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an imaging system, a cutting device, an imaging method, and a program according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 16 (FIGS. 16(a) to 16(c)). The imaging system 50 according to this embodiment is provided in a cutting device 100. The cutting device 100 includes the imaging system 50 and a cut plotter unit 7 which is a cutting section that performs a cutting operation based on information acquired based on an image of the nail T acquired by the imaging system 50.

[0015] In this embodiment, all fingers U of one hand H are placed on the placement table 4, and images are acquired for all fingers U for which masking tape Sc is to be generated. Then, masking tape Sc is generated for each finger. Therefore, when masking tape Sc is to be generated for multiple fingers U, it is not necessary to insert and remove the fingers U one by one, but it is only necessary to place the hand H on the placement table 4, and images of multiple fingers U can be easily acquired.

[0016] The cutting device 100 according to this embodiment generates a masking tape Sc by performing cutting operations such as cutting and clipping on a base tape Sa, which is a tape member S before processing. The generated masking tape Sc is used to mask areas where nail polish should not be applied when applying nail polish to a nail T. A user can easily apply nail art to a nail T by attaching the masking tape Sc to a finger U and applying nail polish to the nail T. In addition, the embodiments described below are subject to various limitations that are technically preferable for implementing the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and illustrated examples.

[0017] [Cutting device configuration] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a main part showing the external configuration of a cutting device according to the present embodiment, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration with the front side of the cutting device shown in Fig. 1 cut away. As shown in Fig. 1, the cutting device 100 of this embodiment has a housing 2 formed in a substantially box shape. In the following embodiment, up and down, front and back, and left and right in the cutting device 100 refer to the directions shown in Fig. 1 and the like. The X direction and Y direction in the cutting device 100 refer to the directions shown in Fig. 1 and the like. The shape of the cutting device 100 is not limited to the illustrated example. For example, various operation buttons, a display unit, and the like may be provided on the upper surface (top surface) of the cutting device 100.

[0018] An opening 40 that is open to the front side of the device over almost the entire width direction (X direction) of the device is provided slightly above the center in the vertical direction of the housing 2 of the cutting device 100. The width and size of the opening 40 are not particularly limited, but it is of a size that allows the five fingers U of one hand H to be inserted and removed without any hindrance. Further, a notch 60 is formed contiguous with the opening 40 below the opening 40 and in the vicinity of the center in the width direction of the device.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, inside the housing 2, at a position corresponding to the opening 40, a mounting table 4 is provided so as to extend in the width direction of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the essential parts showing a state in which the five fingers of one hand are placed on the placement stand 4 of the cutting device shown in Fig. 2. In the illustrated example, the five fingers of the left hand are placed on the placement stand 4. The mounting table 4 in this embodiment is a table on which one hand (left hand H in FIG. 3) can be placed with the palm side placed on it and the five fingers aligned. In this embodiment, the mounting table 4 also functions as a partition that divides the inside of the housing 2 into two spaces, upper and lower (a first space Ar1 which is an imaging space and a second space Ar2 which is a cutting space, which will be described later). The mounting table 4 may have both left and right ends fixed to the side walls of the housing 2, or may be fixed onto a plate-like member or the like provided across the width of the device. Also, the mounting table 4 may be engaged with the side walls or plate-like member of the housing 2 in a detachable state without being fixed.

[0020] The placement base 4 of this embodiment is capable of arranging a plurality of fingers U (all five fingers U from the thumb Us to the little finger of one hand H as shown in FIG. 3) in a line in the finger width direction. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, five recesses 41 for receiving the pads of the fingers U are prepared corresponding to the five fingers U of one hand, and the fingers U can be arranged in each recess 41 simply by placing one hand H on the placement base 4 with the fingers U naturally spread. The size, width, etc. of the five recesses 41 may be the same or different. For example, when the placement base 4 is detachable, the width of the recess 41 for only the one finger at the end may be made larger, and the placement base 4 may be appropriately replaced so that the thumb Us is arranged in the wider recess 41 depending on whether the finger U of the right hand H or the finger U of the left hand H is to be arranged on the placement base 4.

[0021] By disposing the pad side of the finger U in the recess 41, rotation around the axis of the finger U held on the mounting table 4 is suppressed. This stabilizes the position and orientation of the finger U, making it easier to maintain a state (posture) in which the surface of the nail T faces toward a camera 51 (described below) located above the mounting table 4. In addition, it is preferable that a cushion member (not shown) made of, for example, a flexible resin is provided on the upper surface of the mounting table 4. By providing a cushion member, the user is less likely to feel strain on the finger U when it is held on the mounting table 4.

[0022] Inside the housing 2 and above the placement table 4, an imaging unit 5 having a camera 51 and a light source 52 is disposed, and is adapted to capture an image of the nail T of a finger U (finger U including the nail T) placed on the placement table 4. The camera 51 is disposed so that the optical axis of its lens 511 (see FIG. 4 etc.) is approximately parallel to the normal to the "predetermined reference plane R" and the imaging direction faces the placement table 4, and is an imaging means for capturing an image of the nail T of each of the five fingers U placed on the placement table 4.

[0023] The camera 51 of the imaging unit 5 is configured to include a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) type or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) type, and a lens 511. In this embodiment, the camera 51 has an angle of view that can capture images of all four fingers, from the little finger to the index finger, of the five fingers U of one hand H at once. The light source 52 is configured with a white LED or the like that illuminates the imaging target. In the imaging unit 5, the light source 52 is turned on to illuminate the finger U including the nail T placed on the mounting table 4 while capturing an image with the camera 51, thereby obtaining a finger image (an image of the finger U including the nail T). The image captured by the camera 51, which is an imaging means, is sent to the control device 10, which will be described later, and is acquired by the control unit 11. In this embodiment, as described later, a moving mechanism (i.e., a moving mechanism consisting of a shaft 81, a main motor 82 and a pulley 83, a driven pulley 84, a timing belt 85, etc., described later) moves a moving body 9 (see FIG. 7) including an imaging unit 5 having a camera 51 along the X direction parallel to a "predetermined reference plane R" of the mounting table 4.

[0024] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic positional relationship between the placement base, the five fingers of one hand placed on the placement base, and the camera serving as the imaging means. As shown in FIG. 4, when an imaginary plane on which the five fingers U of one hand H are arranged is defined as a "predetermined reference plane R," the placement base 4 is disposed parallel to this "predetermined reference plane R." 3 and 4, five fingers U can be arranged side by side on the mounting table 4 at the same time, and the nails T of the four fingers U from the index finger to the little finger are approximately parallel to the "predetermined reference plane R." Therefore, the nails T of the four fingers U from the index finger to the little finger are approximately opposed to the lens 511 of the camera 51, and light from the nails T is emitted approximately parallel to the normal to the "predetermined reference plane R" (in this embodiment, the same as the optical axis of the camera 51), as shown by the arrow in FIG. In contrast, it is difficult to place the thumb Us on the platform 4 in the same orientation as the other four fingers U when the palm of the hand H is spread, and it ends up being placed at an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to the “predetermined reference plane R” as shown in Figure 4.

[0025] For this reason, in this embodiment, a light guiding means 55 is provided at a position corresponding to the thumb Us of the five fingers U placed on the placement base 4. The placement base 4 of this embodiment is configured to be usable for both the right and left hands. That is, the five fingers U of either the left or right hand H are placed on the placement base 4. The position of the thumb Us of the five fingers differs depending on whether the left or right hand H is placed. Specifically, if the left hand is placed, the thumb Us is placed in the recess 41 at the right end of the placement base 4, and if the right hand is placed, the thumb Us is placed in the recess 41 at the left end of the placement base 4. For this reason, the light guiding means 55 is also placed at a position corresponding to the thumb Us of the right hand and a position corresponding to the thumb Us of the left hand, that is, at two locations near the right and left sides of the placement base 4. In the illustrated example, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the light guiding means 55 for the left hand placed near the right side of the placement base 4 is called the light guiding means 55a, and the light guiding means 55 for the right hand placed near the left side is called the light guiding means 55b.

[0026] The light guiding means 55 is for emitting incident light from the nail T of the thumb Us so as to be nearly parallel to the normal to the "predetermined reference plane R." As the light guiding means 55, for example, a half pentaprism is used, in which the incident surface (incident surface Ip in FIG. 4) of the light guiding means 55 is arranged at an angle with respect to the "predetermined reference plane R" so that the incident surface Ip faces the nail T of the thumb Us. In FIG. 4, the optical path of incident light entering the lens 511 of the camera 51 from the nail T of the thumb Us is indicated by an arrow. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the imaging system 50 is configured to include a mounting base 4 on which one hand H is placed with the five fingers U aligned and arranged parallel to a "predetermined reference plane R," a camera 51 (imaging means) that is arranged so that the optical axis of the lens 511 is parallel to the normal to the reference plane R and that images the nails T of the five fingers U placed on the mounting base 4, and a light guiding means 55 (light guiding means 55a for the left hand and light guiding means 55b for the right hand) for emitting incident light from the nail T of the thumb Us so as to be approximately parallel to the normal to the reference plane R.

[0027] The half pentaprism is an optical prism configured to be able to capture the same image as a front image by reflecting twice an image incident on the lens 511 of the camera 51 from an image capturing object (the nail T of the thumb Us in the embodiment). That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the light entering from the surface (incident surface Ip) facing the nail T in the light guiding means 55 (the light guiding means 55a for the left hand in the example shown in FIG. 4) is reflected twice inside the light guiding means 55 and is emitted from the emission surface Op in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the lens 511 of the camera 51. The half pentaprism can shift the emission direction of light by 45 degrees without inverting the projected image. Therefore, it is possible to reflect the light from the nail T of the thumb Us, which is arranged in a direction tilted at about 45 degrees with respect to the "predetermined reference plane R", toward the front without changing the orientation of the fingers U and the hand H, and capture it with the camera 51, whose optical axis of the lens 511 is substantially parallel to the "predetermined reference plane R". The light guiding means 55 may be any means capable of emitting incident light from the nail T of the thumb Us so as to be nearly parallel to the normal to the "predetermined reference plane R", and the specific shape and the like are not limited to the illustrated example. The light guiding means 55 may be an optical means other than a half pentaprism.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, within the housing 2, the space above the mounting table 4 is a first space Ar1 in which a finger U is placed and an image of a nail T of the finger U is captured. Meanwhile, within the interior of the housing 2, the space below the mounting table 4 is a second space Ar2 for producing the masking tape Sc from the base tape Sa by performing a predetermined cutting operation. A tape placement section 6 in which the tape member S is placed is provided on the bottom surface of the second space Ar2 at a position corresponding to the cutout section 60 formed in the housing 2. The width and height of the cutout section 60 are set to a level that does not interfere with placing the tape member S in the tape placement section 6 or removing the placed tape member S.

[0029] The tape material S is an object to be cut by the cutting device 100 in this embodiment. The color, material, etc. of the tape member S are not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the tape member S (masking tape Sc) be made of a transparent or translucent material so that the position of the nail T can be confirmed even from above the tape when the tape member S (masking tape Sc) is attached to the finger U. The tape member S that has not been subjected to any cutting process (cutting) is referred to as the "base tape Sa", the one cut out from the base tape Sa to fit the shape of the user's finger U is referred to as the "mask base Sb", and the tape member S in which the base tape Sa or the mask base Sb is cut out according to a pattern or the like to form the cutout portions C1, C2 is referred to as the "masking tape Sc". The "base tape Sa" includes a rectangular one (this is referred to as the "first base tape Sa1", see FIG. 6(a)) and one with some corners cut off (this is referred to as the "second base tape Sa2", see FIG. 6(b)) as described later. The term "base tape Sa" includes both the "first base tape Sa1" and the "second base tape Sa2". In the following embodiments, when the term "tape member S" is used, it includes all of the "base tape Sa," the "mask base Sb," and the "masking tape Sc."

[0030] The tape placement unit 6 includes a base 61 fixed to the bottom surface of the housing 2 and a tape set table 62 placed on the base 61. Guide sections 611 are provided on both the left and right sides (left and right in Figs. 1 to 3) of the base 61 to guide the tape set table 62 in the Y direction (front-rear direction, depth direction of the device). A guide rail 621 is provided along the Y direction on the back side (lower surface side) of the tape set table 62 at a position corresponding to the guide section 611 when the tape set table 62 is placed on the base 61. In this embodiment, a groove is formed as the guide section 611 in the base 61, and the guide rail 621 provided on the lower surface side of the tape set table 62 has a convex shape that fits into the guide section 611 which is the groove. The shapes, configurations, etc. of the guide section 611 and the guide rail 621 are not limited to the example shown here. For example, a convex guide rail may be provided on the base 61 side, and a guide section shaped to fit into the guide rail may be formed on the tape set table 62 side.

[0031] A drive unit 63 for moving the tape set table 62 in the Y direction (the front-rear direction of the device) is provided on the side of the tape placement unit 6 (in this embodiment, on the right side of the tape placement unit 6 in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3). The drive unit 63 includes a stage moving motor 631 and a pinion gear 632 coaxial with the stage moving motor 631. A rack gear 624 is provided on the back side (lower surface side) of the tape setting stage 62, approximately parallel to the guide rail 621. The rack gear 624 is adapted to mesh with the pinion gear 632 of the stage moving motor 631 when the tape setting stage 62 is placed on the base 61, and when the stage moving motor 631 is driven, the tape setting stage 62 on which the rack gear 624 is provided moves in the Y direction (the front-rear direction of the device) in response to the rotation of the pinion gear 632.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the tape set table in this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 5, the surface of the tape setting table 62 (the upper surface in Fig. 5 etc.) serves as a placement surface 620 on which the tape material S is placed. In this embodiment, the size (length, width, thickness, etc.) of the tape material S cut by the cutting device 100 is specified, and edges 622 having a certain height are provided on both sides and the rear side of the placement surface 620. When the tape material S (at least the "base tape Sa" before cutting) is placed approximately in the center of the placement surface 620, the left and right sides and the rear side are abutted against the edges 622 and positioned.

[0033] As will be described later, in this embodiment, the types of tape material S (e.g., sizes "L" to "S") that can be set on the tape setting table 62 to be cut are stored (registered) in advance in the storage unit 12 (see FIG. 10) or the like. The user can select the tape material S to be set on the tape setting table 62 from this pre-registered list. The user then sets the selected tape material S on the tape setting table 62. It is preferable that the tape set table 62 is provided with marks that indicate the position where the tape member S should be placed according to the type (size) of the tape member S. In this case, for example, the left end of the tape member S is pressed against the left edge 622, and the right end of the tape member S is aligned so that it is at the "L mark position" in the case of an "L" size, and so that the right end of the tape member S is at the "S mark position" in the case of an "S" size, to align the tape member S.

[0034] The outer shape of the tape member S (e.g., the "base tape Sa" before cutting) to be placed on the placement surface 620 may be, for example, a rectangular shape ("first base tape Sa1") as shown in FIG. 6(a), or may be a shape ("second base tape Sa2") that has been pre-cut (e.g., cut so that the corners of the fingertip are rounded off) into an outer shape that is easy to apply to a finger U as shown in FIG. 6(b). As described above, it is preferable that a plurality of "base tapes Sa" before cutting are prepared with different width dimensions corresponding to the thickness of fingers, etc. (e.g., L-size base tape Sa for thick fingers, S-size base tape Sa for thin fingers, etc.).

[0035] Further, on the front side of the surface of the tape setting table 62, there are provided locking arms 623 that are screwed to both the left and right ends of the arrangement surface 620. As shown by the dashed arrow in Fig. 4, the locking arms 623 are designed to be able to rotate about the screwed parts NP and open to the left and right. When setting the tape material S on the arrangement surface 620 of the tape setting table 62, the locking arms 623 are opened appropriately to leave the front side of the tape setting table 62 widely open, so that the tape material S can be easily set. Then, the tape material S is correctly arranged in a position where it does not ride up onto the edge 622, and then the locking arms 623 are rotated to a position where they overlap the front side of the tape material S as shown in Fig. 4. This allows the tape member S to be locked on the placement surface 620 so as not to slip during the cutting operation. An anti-slip sheet or the like may be attached to the surface of the locking arm 623 that comes into contact with the tape member S. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the tape member S from slipping or the like.

[0036] A cut plotter unit 7 is provided in the second space Ar2 above the tape placement unit 6. In this embodiment, the cut plotter unit 7 is a cutting unit that performs a cutting operation on the base tape Sa (or mask base Sb) based on information (information about the nail area) acquired based on an image of the finger U (a finger image that is an image of the finger U including the nail T) captured by the camera 51 that is an imaging means, and generates the masking tape Sc. In this embodiment, the imaging unit 5 and the cut plotter unit 7 are connected by a connecting frame 91 and configured as an integrated moving body 9.

[0037] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a main part showing a main configuration of a moving body in this embodiment. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, in this embodiment, the imaging unit 5, which is arranged in a first space Ar1 above the mounting table 4, and the cut plotter unit 7, which is arranged in a second space Ar2 below the mounting table 4, are connected by a connecting frame body 91. That is, although not shown in the drawings, the mounting table 4, which divides the inside of the housing 2 into a first space Ar1 and a second space Ar2, does not abut against the rear surface of the housing 2, and a predetermined gap is secured at the rear side. If a plate-like member or the like for holding the mounting table 4 is provided, the plate-like member similarly does not abut against the rear surface of the housing 2. The connecting portion 911 of the connecting frame 91 is disposed on the rear side of the mounting table 4, inserted into the gap between the mounting table 4 and the rear surface of the housing 2.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 7, the cut plotter unit 7 includes a carriage 71 formed in a substantially box shape, a cutting section main body 72 housed within the carriage 71, and the like. A through-hole 711 penetrating in the X direction (X direction in FIGS. 1 to 3, device width direction) is formed on the upper front side of the carriage 71. A shaft 81 is provided in the second space Ar2, and the shaft 81 is inserted into the through-hole 711 of the carriage 71. The shaft 81 is provided across the X direction (the device width direction), and both ends of the shaft 81 are fixed to the wall surfaces of the housing (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The inner peripheral surface of the through-hole portion 711 functions as a bearing for receiving the shaft 81, and has a sliding bearing structure in which the shaft 81 (axis) and the inner peripheral surface of the through-hole portion 711 (bearing) are in direct contact with each other. As a result, the carriage 71 is supported by the shaft 81 and is movable along the shaft 81.

[0039] Furthermore, within the second space Ar2, on the surface at the rear side of the device, a main drive motor 82 is disposed at one end side (right side in the illustrated example) in the X direction (device width direction). A driven pulley 84 that is driven by a pulley 83 (main drive pulley) that is coaxial with the main drive motor 82 is provided at the other end side (left side in the illustrated example) in the X direction (device width direction). A timing belt 85 is wound between the pulley 83 and the driven pulley 84, and when the pulley 83 rotates as a result of the main drive motor 82 being driven, the driven pulley 84 and the timing belt 85 rotate together.

[0040] A belt connector 712 is provided on the rear surface of the carriage 71 at a position where it comes into contact with the timing belt 85. By connecting the belt connector 712 to the timing belt 85, the carriage 71 moves in the X direction (the device width direction) along the shaft 81 in accordance with the movement of the timing belt 85. The main drive motor 82 is capable of rotating forward and reverse, and the carriage 71 can move in both left and right directions along the X direction (the device width direction) in accordance with the operation of the main drive motor 82.

[0041] As described above, the imaging unit 5 and the cut plotter unit 7 (the carriage 71 of the cut plotter unit 7) are connected by a connecting frame 91. Therefore, when the moving mechanism (i.e., the moving mechanism consisting of the shaft 81, the main drive motor 82, the pulley 83, the driven pulley 84, the timing belt 85, etc.) operates, the imaging unit 5 arranged in the first space Ar1 and the cut plotter unit 7 arranged in the second space Ar2 move together in the device width direction X as an integrated moving body 9. That is, in this embodiment, the imaging unit 5 and the cut plotter unit 7 are moved together by the drive of the same main drive motor 82, and a common drive source (main drive motor 82) is used.

[0042] 8 and 9 are perspective views of the main part of the cut plotter unit. 8 and 9, the front side of the carriage 71 is cut away to show the internal configuration. Also, in Fig. 8 and 9, the connecting frame 91 that integrates the imaging unit 5 and the cut plotter unit 7 as the moving body 9 is omitted, and only the carriage 71 and the essential configuration of the cut plotter unit 7 housed therein are shown.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a cutting unit main body 72 housed in a carriage 71 is connected to a vertical movement unit 73 via a fixed leaf spring 74. The vertical operation unit 73 operates the cutting unit main body 72 in the vertical direction, and is composed of, for example, a solenoid equipped with a driving part 731 that operates in the vertical direction. One end of a fixed leaf spring 74 is fixed to the driving part 731, and the cutting unit main body 72 is fixed to the other end of the fixed leaf spring 74. As a result, when the driving part 731 moves up and down, the cutting unit main body 72 moves up and down in response to this up and down movement.

[0044] A cutter blade 721 is attached to the lower end of the cutting unit main body 72. The cutter blade 721 is held so as to be freely rotatable around an axis as shown by the arrow in FIG. 7, and when it comes into contact with the surface of the object (that is, the tape material S in this embodiment), the direction of the blade tip can be freely changed according to the direction of pressure and the direction of movement. This allows the object (tape material S) to be appropriately cut in the desired direction. In addition, since the cutting unit main body 72 is fixed via the fixed leaf spring 74, when the driving part 731 descends and the cutter blade 721 comes into contact with the surface of the object (tape material S), the load is adjusted to be constant by the spring pressure of the fixed leaf spring 74, and the cutter blade 721 can cut the object (tape material S) with an appropriate load applied.

[0045] Thus, in this embodiment, the cut plotter unit 7 moves in the X direction (the width direction of the device), and as described above, the tape set table 62 which holds the target tape material S on its surface (placement surface 620) moves in the Y direction (the front-to-rear direction of the device), so that the cutter blade 721 can cut the target material (tape material S) while moving appropriately on the XY plane.

[0046] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a main control configuration of the cutting device. 10, the cutting device 100 of the present embodiment includes the above-mentioned components, as well as a power switch 21, an operation input unit 22, a communication unit 23, a control device 10, etc. In addition, the cutting device 100 may be provided with a display unit, etc.

[0047] The power switch 21 is provided, for example, on the upper surface (top surface) or side surface of the housing 2, and is an operation button (power switch button) for turning on / off the power of the cutting device 100. When the power switch 21 is operated, an operation signal is output to the control device 10, and the control device 10 performs control according to the operation signal. For example, when the power is turned on by switching the power switch 21, the control device 10 starts up each unit of the cutting device 100.

[0048] The operation input unit 22 is a unit including various buttons, keys, etc., that allows the user to input various operations. When an operation is input from the operation input unit 22, an operation signal is output to the control device 10, and the control device 10 performs control according to the operation signal.

[0049] The communication unit 23 is a communication unit for communicating with an external device. In this embodiment, the "external device" is, for example, a terminal device (e.g., a user's smartphone, a tablet-type terminal device, a desktop PC, etc.) not shown. Information input and set at an external terminal device is received by the cutting device 100 via the communication unit 23. This allows the control unit 11 to receive information from the external terminal device via the communication unit 23. The communication method between the cutting device 100 and the terminal device or the like is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, wireless communication based on a short-range wireless communication standard such as wireless LAN, Bluetooth (registered trademark), Wi-Fi, etc. The communication unit 23 includes an antenna chip or the like compatible with the communication methods and communication standards of various external devices with which communication is expected.

[0050] The control device 10 of the cutting device 100 is a computer equipped with a control unit 11 consisting of a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and a memory unit 12 consisting of a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. (neither shown). The storage section 12 stores various programs (e.g., a program for performing imaging processing to obtain a finger image, etc.) for operating the imaging system 50 (the camera 51 of the imaging unit 5, etc.), various programs (e.g., a program for performing shape recognition processing of the nail T, etc., and cutting processing of the tape member S, etc.) for operating the cutting device 100, various data, etc. The control section 11 expands these programs, for example, in a working area of ​​the RAM, and the programs are executed in the control section 11, thereby enabling overall control of each section of the cutting device 100. Incidentally, a part or the whole of the storage unit 12 may be configured separately and provided outside the control device 10.

[0051] Particularly in this embodiment, the control unit 11 functions as an information acquisition means for detecting information including information on the area of ​​the nail T (i.e., the contour shape of the nail T, the outer shape of the nail T) from an image (a finger image acquired by the camera 51). The information on the area of ​​the nail T is, for example, vector data that expresses the contour line that defines the area of ​​the nail T using x, y coordinates or the like. Furthermore, the control unit 11 as an information acquiring unit may acquire not only information on the area of ​​the nail T but also information on the area of ​​the finger U (the outer shape of the finger U). The control unit 11 as information acquiring means acquires the contour shape of the nail T and the contour shape of the finger U by performing various image processing such as analyzing differences in color, brightness, etc. of the finger image and extracting a contour. Note that the method by which the control unit 11 as information acquiring means acquires information on the area of ​​the nail T and the area of ​​the finger U from the finger image is not particularly limited.

[0052] In addition, in this embodiment, whether the user has placed his / her right hand or left hand on the mounting base 4 is input from the operation input unit 22 or the like, and the control unit 11 accepts the input operation by the user by acquiring an operation signal from the operation input unit 22 or the like.

[0053] The control unit 11 of this embodiment also functions as a pattern receiving unit that receives information on a nail design (desired pattern) that the user wants to apply to the nail T. As described above, the design (desired pattern such as letters or figures) that the user wants to apply to the nail T is input from the operation input unit 22, and the control unit 11 receives the operation signal to receive the desired pattern that the user wants to apply to the nail T.

[0054] The control unit 11 of this embodiment also functions as an adjustment unit that adjusts the desired pattern selected and input by the user based on the information on the area of ​​the nail T acquired by the information acquisition means so that it fits within the area of ​​the nail T (i.e., so that the desired pattern does not protrude from the area of ​​the nail T). That is, the control unit 11 appropriately adjusts the position, size, and orientation of the pattern on the tape member S ("base tape Sa" or "mask base Sb"), as well as their relative positional relationship, so that the desired pattern fits within the area of ​​the nail T. The user may be able to set the position and size of the design to be applied to the area of ​​the nail T. When the position and size are set, the control unit 11 places the desired pattern within the area of ​​the nail T so as to satisfy the set conditions. Note that, when there is no particular setting for the placement of the design, the placement of the desired pattern is adjusted (with respect to the outer shape of the tape member S) on the tape member S ("base tape Sa" or "mask base Sb") so that the pattern is placed as large as possible in approximately the center of the area of ​​the nail T.

[0055] In addition, the control unit 11 in this embodiment functions as a cutting control unit that operates each part of the cut plotter unit 7, which is a cutting unit, based on the adjustment results as an adjustment unit, and generates masking tape Sc with a pattern (cutout portion C2 shown in Figures 14 and 15(a) to (c)) cut out in an area corresponding to the area of ​​the nail T.

[0056] Specifically, the stage movement motor 631 in the cut plotter unit 7 is operated to appropriately move the tape set stage 62 on which the tape material S is placed along the Y direction (front-to-back direction of the device), and the main drive motor 82 is operated to appropriately move the cut plotter unit 7 together with the carriage 71 along the X direction (left-to-right direction of the device). While moving the tape set table 62 and the carriage 71 relative to each other in the XY directions in this manner, the vertical operating unit 73 is operated to appropriately apply the cutter blade 721 to the tape material S, thereby forming the desired cutout portion C2 in the tape material S.

[0057] Furthermore, when the "base tape Sa", which is the tape member S before cutting, is rectangular (see FIG. 6(a)), or when it is too wide to be attached to the user's finger U even with the corner on the fingertip side cut off, the control unit 11, as a cutting control unit, appropriately controls the cut plotter unit 7, etc. to cut out a "mask base Sb" from the "base tape Sa" to match the external shape of the user's finger U.

[0058] [Imaging method, etc., and cutting device operation] Next, an imaging method and a cutting method using the cutting device of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 13 to 16 (Figs. 16(a) to 16(c)) and the like. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an imaging process for acquiring finger images for obtaining information on fingers and nails by the imaging system according to this embodiment. First, the user inputs from the operation input unit 22 of the cutting device 100 whether the hand H corresponds to the left or right side of the nail T on which the user wishes to apply nail polish using the masking tape Sc, and places the hand H selected by the input operation on the placement table 4. Specifically, the fingers U of the hand H are placed in alignment with the depressions 41, so that the palm side of the hand is placed on the placement table 4 and the five fingers U are placed side by side (see FIG. 3).

[0059] 13, the control unit 11 receives an input operation by a user (step S1), and determines whether the hand H placed on the placement table 4 is a right hand based on the received input operation (step S2). If the hand H placed on the placement table 4 is a right hand (step S2; YES), the control unit 11 operates the moving mechanism (i.e., the moving mechanism composed of the shaft 81, the main motor 82 and the pulley 83, the driven pulley 84, the timing belt 85, etc.) to move the moving body 9 including the imaging unit 5 in the X direction to a position where the four fingers U of the right hand H from the little finger to the index finger can be imaged (for example, near the center of the right hand H in the width direction from the little finger to the index finger) (step S3). Then, the camera 51 images the four fingers U of the right hand H from the little finger to the index finger at that position. Images (finger images) of the four fingers U of the right hand H, including the nails T, from the little finger to the index finger, obtained by imaging are sent to the control device 10, and the finger images are acquired by the control unit 11 (step S4).

[0060] Next, the control unit 11 operates the moving mechanism (i.e., a moving mechanism composed of the shaft 81, the driving motor 82, the pulley 83, the driven pulley 84, the timing belt 85, etc.) to move the moving body 9 including the imaging unit 5 to the left in the X direction to a position where the thumb Us of the right hand H can be imaged (step S5). Specifically, the imaging unit 5 is moved to a position where the lens 511 faces the emission surface Op of the light guiding means 55b for the right hand. Then, at that position, the thumb Us of the right hand H is imaged by the camera 51 via the light guiding means 55b. The image (finger image) of the thumb Us including the nail T obtained by imaging is sent to the control device 10, and the finger image is acquired by the control unit 11 (step S6).

[0061] On the other hand, if the hand H placed on the placement table 4 is a left hand (step S2; NO), the control unit 11 operates the moving mechanism (i.e., a moving mechanism consisting of the shaft 81, the driving motor 82 and the pulley 83, the driven pulley 84, the timing belt 85, etc.) to move the moving body 9 including the imaging unit 5 in the X direction to a position where the four fingers U of the left hand H from the little finger to the index finger can be imaged (for example, near the center of the width direction from the little finger to the index finger of the left hand H) (step S7). Then, at that position, the four fingers U of the left hand H from the little finger to the index finger are imaged by the camera 51. Images (finger images) of the fingers U including the nails T of the four fingers U of the left hand H from the little finger to the index finger obtained by imaging are sent to the control device 10, and the finger images are acquired by the control unit 11 (step S8).

[0062] Next, the control unit 11 operates the moving mechanism (i.e., the moving mechanism composed of the shaft 81, the driving motor 82, the pulley 83, the driven pulley 84, the timing belt 85, etc.) to move the moving body 9 including the imaging unit 5 to the right in the X direction to a position where the thumb Us of the left hand can be imaged. Specifically, the imaging unit 5 is moved to a position where the lens 511 faces the emission surface Op of the light guiding means 55a for the left hand (step S9). Then, at that position, the thumb Us of the left hand is imaged by the camera 51 via the light guiding means 55a. The image (finger image) of the thumb Us including the nail T obtained by imaging is sent to the control device 10, and the finger image is acquired by the control unit 11 (step S10).

[0063] When finger images of all five fingers U of one hand H placed on the placement table 4 are acquired in this manner, the control unit 11 performs image processing and the like on the finger images to recognize the contour shape of each finger U from the finger images of all five fingers U (step S11). The control unit 11 also performs image processing and the like on the finger images to recognize the contour shape of the nail T (the area of ​​the nail T) (step S12). The contour shape of the finger U and the contour shape of the nail T, which are the recognition results, may be stored in the storage unit 12 or the like in association with the finger type (for example, the thumb Us or the little finger, etc.).

[0064] When performing the cutting process, first, the tape material S to be cut is set on the tape set table 62 in the second space Ar2. Note that the user may set the tape material S on the tape set table 62 of the tape arrangement unit 6 before performing the imaging process for acquiring a finger image. As described above, when multiple types (sizes) of the tape material S are prepared, the user operates the operation input unit 22 of the cutting device 100, etc., to select a tape material S that matches the thickness, etc., of the user's finger U from a list of pre-registered options. In this way, the type (size) of the tape material S is set. Then, the user sets the selected and set tape material S on the tape set table 62 . Furthermore, the user performs settings for the masking tape Sc that he / she wishes to produce by the cutting device 100 from an operation unit or an operation input unit of the terminal device.

[0065] Settings regarding the masking tape Sc include, for example, whether to generate masking tape Sc for applying nail polish to the entire nail T, or whether to generate masking tape Sc for drawing various designs D (see FIG. 16(c)) on the nail T. In the latter case, a desired pattern is set according to the design (nail design) D to be drawn on the nail T. At this time, if there is a preference regarding the position where the design D is to be drawn (e.g., the center of the nail, the upper right of the nail T, etc.) and the size (e.g., whether to draw it large to fill the entire area of ​​the nail T, or to draw it small as a focal point, etc.), this information is also set. Information regarding the desired pattern is received by the control unit 11, which functions as a pattern receiving unit.

[0066] FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the cutting process performed by the cutting device according to the present embodiment. For example, when the tape member S set on the tape set table 62 is a rectangular "base tape Sa" (first base tape Sa1) as shown in Fig. 6(a), the control unit 11 operates each part of the cut plotter unit 7, which is a cutting unit, to cut out a mask base Sb having a shape corresponding to the contour shape (outer shape) of the user's finger U from the base tape Sa (first base tape Sa1) based on the information on the contour shape (outer shape) of the finger U acquired by the information acquisition means (step S21). That is, in this case, the position (relative position) for cutting out the shape corresponding to the contour shape (outer shape) of the finger U is adjusted and set with respect to the position of the base tape Sa (first base tape Sa1), and the cut plotter unit 7 cuts out the mask base Sb from the base tape Sa (first base tape Sa1).

[0067] "Cutting into a shape according to the contour shape of the finger U" means, for example, cutting off a corner on the fingertip side so that the remaining corner part is less likely to float up when the masking tape is attached to the finger U. The mask base Sb is a base for generating the masking tape Sc, and has the same shape as the base tape Sa (second base tape Sa2) shown in Fig. 6(b). Incidentally, even if the tape member S set on the tape setting stand 62 is a base tape Sa (second base tape Sa2) in which the corners on the fingertip side have already been cut off and processed into a shape that makes it easy to apply to a finger U, as shown in FIG. 6(b), if the width of the base tape Sa (second base tape Sa2) is too wide for the width of the user's finger U, the control unit 11 operates each part of the cut plotter unit 7 to cut it based on information on the contour shape (external shape) of the finger U acquired as an information acquisition means.

[0068] That is, each part of the cut plotter unit 7 is operated to cut out a mask base Sb (a "mask base Sb" having a shape shown by a dashed line in FIG. 6(b)) having a shape corresponding to the contour shape (external shape) of the finger U from the base tape Sa (the second base tape Sa2). In this case, for example, processing such as cutting both ends of the base tape Sa (the second base tape Sa2) to fit the width of the user's finger U is performed. In addition, when the base tape Sa (second base tape Sa2) as shown in FIG. 6(b) is attached to the user's finger U as is (i.e., when there is no need to perform cutting processing such as reducing the width), step S21, which is the process of cutting out the mask base Sb from the base tape Sa, can be omitted.

[0069] Then, based on the information input and set by the user from the operation input unit 22 of the cutting device 100, the control unit 11 determines whether the masking tape Sc to be generated is a masking tape Sc for masking when applying nail polish to the entire nail T (step S22). If the desired masking tape Sc is a masking tape Sc for masking when applying nail polish to the entire nail T (step S22; YES), the control unit 11 operates each part of the cut plotter unit 7 to form a cutout portion C1 according to the contour shape of the nail T, and generates a masking tape Sc with the cutout portion C1 formed (masking tape Sc1) (step S23).

[0070] In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, for example, a masking tape Sc (masking tape Sc1) is generated in which a cutout portion C1 is formed to match the shape of the user's nail T at a position corresponding to the nail T (the relative position of the nail T to the shape of the finger U) on the tape member S (base tape Sa or mask base Sb cut out according to the shape of the finger U). FIG. 12 shows the masking tape shown in FIG. 11 attached to a finger. As shown in Figure 12, by applying nail polish to the entire nail T while a masking tape Sc with a cutout portion C1 in the shape of the nail T is attached to a finger U, the nail polish will be applied only to the area of ​​the nail T and the liquid will not get on the finger U, making it easy to apply nail polish to the entire nail T.

[0071] On the other hand, if the desired masking tape Sc is not the masking tape Sc for masking when applying nail polish to the entire nail T (step S22; NO), that is, if a masking tape Sc for partially applying a design D or the like is to be generated, the control unit 11 acquires information on the desired pattern to be applied to the nail T (step S24). Specifically, the control unit 11 acquires information input and set by the user from the operation input unit 22 of the cutting device 100 or the like. Then, the size, position, orientation, etc. of the pattern are appropriately adjusted so that the desired pattern fits within the area of ​​the nail T (step S25). As described above, if the user has also input and set the desired position and size of the design D, the control unit 11 adjusts the size, position, etc. of the pattern taking into consideration this input information. Specifically, the control unit 11 adjusts the relative positional relationship of the pattern with respect to the tape member S (base tape Sa or mask base Sb) (i.e., where, how large, and in what orientation the pattern is to be placed with respect to the tape member S) so that the pattern is placed at a position on the tape member S (base tape Sa or mask base Sb cut out according to the shape of the finger U) corresponding to the nail T (the relative position of the nail T with respect to the shape of the finger U).

[0072] Once the position for cutting out the pattern has been determined, the control unit 11 operates the cut plotter unit 7 to generate masking tape Sc (masking tape Sc2) on which a cutout portion C2 of the desired pattern is formed within an area corresponding to the area of ​​the nail T (step S26). When the cutting operation of the tape material S is completed, it is preferable to notify the user by turning on a lamp or the like. If the cutting device 100 is equipped with a display unit, the display unit may display a message to that effect, and if another masking tape Sc is to be produced, a message may be displayed urging the user to set the tape material S for producing the next masking tape Sc on the tape set table 62. Note that these notifications and displays may be performed by displaying on a display unit or the like of a terminal device that communicates with the cutting device 100.

[0073] For example, if the masking tape Sc desired by the user is a masking tape Sc for applying nail polish in a T-shape to a nail T to create a T-shaped design D, the user inputs a T-shaped pattern as the desired pattern via the operation input unit 22 of the cutting device 100 or the like. The control unit 11, which receives the operation signal, controls the operation of the cut plotter unit 7 to generate a "masking tape Sc2" having a T-shaped pattern cutout portion C2 formed so as to fit inside the outline of the nail T shown by the dashed line in FIG. 15.

[0074] Also, for example, if a user wants to paint a single character or figure with multiple colors of nail polish to form a pattern (design D), it is necessary to apply nail polish for each color. Therefore, in this case, masking tape Sc2 is also generated for each color. For example, when an input is made from the operation input unit 22 indicating that a masking tape Sc2 is to be created for drawing a pattern (design D) by painting the upper half of a star-shaped figure in multiple colors, such as red for the upper half and pink for the lower half, the control unit 11, upon receiving the operation signal, controls the operation of the cut plotter unit 7 to generate two masking tapes Sc2 by generating a masking tape Sc2 for each color.

[0075] That is, a "first masking tape Sc2_1" is produced in which a cutout portion C2 (first cutout portion C2a) is formed by cutting out the shape (pattern) of the upper half of a star-shaped figure as shown in Figure 16(a), and a "second masking tape Sc2_2" is produced in which a cutout portion C2 (second cutout portion C2b) is formed by cutting out the shape (pattern) of the lower half of a star-shaped figure as shown in Figure 16(b).

[0076] Then, the user first applies red nail polish to the first cutout C2a with the first masking tape Sc2_1 attached to the finger U, and then applies pink nail polish to the second cutout C2b with the masking tape replaced with the second masking tape Sc2_2. This allows the user to draw a star-shaped design D with different colors on the top and bottom of the nail T, as shown in Figure 16(c). In this way, by generating masking tape Sc using cutting device 100, even if a user manually applies nail polish or the like to nail T to create a desired design D, the user can easily apply nail polish or the like while masking with masking tape Sc that fits the shape of the natural nail.

[0077] [effect] As described above, the imaging system 50 of this embodiment comprises a placement table 4 on which one hand H is placed with the five fingers U lined up with the palm side placed parallel to a predetermined reference plane R, a camera 51 which is an imaging means for imaging the nails T of each of the five fingers U placed on the placement table 4, and is arranged so that its optical axis is parallel to the normal to the reference plane R and the imaging direction faces the placement table 4, and a light guiding means 55 which is arranged at a position corresponding to the thumb Us of the five fingers U, for emitting incident light from the nail T of the thumb Us so that it is nearly parallel to the normal. This allows the user to acquire finger images of the five fingers U of one hand H all at once without having to take the time and trouble of switching the hand H or the fingers U around. When the five fingers U are arranged in a row, the thumb Us is arranged at an angle of about 45 degrees, so that an image with almost no inclination can be obtained through the light guiding means 55. When detecting the contour shape of the finger U or the nail T from an image in which the finger U is tilted, it is necessary to perform image processing or the like to detect the contour shape after correcting the image to a planar shape using a correction process or the like. Depending on the tilt, even if the correction is made, there is a risk that the contour shape of the finger U or the nail T cannot be detected correctly. In this regard, in this embodiment, an image of the thumb Us in an untilted state can be obtained, so that highly accurate contour detection can be performed without performing complicated correction processes or the like.

[0078] In addition, the light-guiding means 55 in the embodiment is, for example, a half-pentaprism in which the incident surface Ip of the light-guiding means 55 is inclined with respect to the reference plane R so that the incident surface Ip faces the nail T of the thumb Us. As a result, by reflecting twice an image that enters the lens 511 of the camera 51 from the nail T of a thumb Us that is positioned at an angle, it is possible to capture the same image as a front image. Since the half pentaprism can shift the light emission direction by 45 degrees without inverting the projected image, it is possible to reflect light from the nail T of the thumb Us that is tilted at 45 degrees in a direction substantially forward, and to capture an image (front image) with the same orientation as the nail T of the other fingers U with the camera 51, without the user having to change the orientation of the fingers U or hand H.

[0079] In addition, the mounting base 4 in the embodiment is configured so that it can be used by both the right and left hands, and the light guiding means 55 is provided at a position corresponding to the thumb Us of the right hand and a position corresponding to the thumb Us of the left hand (i.e., light guiding means 55a for the left hand, and light guiding means 55b for the right hand). This allows imaging of either the left or right hand H to be handled with one mounting base 4, and does not increase the number of parts compared to when a mounting base 4 is provided for each hand H. Furthermore, finger images of the five fingers U of one hand H can be correctly obtained for either the left or right hand H.

[0080] Furthermore, the imaging system 50 of the embodiment includes a moving mechanism (i.e., a moving mechanism constituted by a shaft 81, a drive motor 82 and a pulley 83, a driven pulley 84, a timing belt 85, etc.) that moves the imaging means, that is, the camera 51, parallel to the reference plane R, and a control unit 11 that causes the camera 51 to individually capture images of the nails T of each of the fingers U by sequentially moving the camera 51 to positions corresponding to each of the fingers U using this moving mechanism. This allows the user to capture images of the five fingers U of one hand H without moving the hand H once it is placed on the placement base 4. Also, since the camera 51 can be moved, the angle of view of the camera 51 does not need to be very wide, and highly accurate images can be obtained. Here, "imaging individually" means that each finger U and its nail T can be imaged in a identifiable state, and does not necessarily mean that the camera 51 moves over each finger U to image each finger U one by one. For example, it also includes a case where an image is captured once at positions corresponding to the four fingers U from the little finger to the index finger, and once at a position corresponding to the thumb Us, thereby acquiring finger images of all five fingers U by capturing images twice. In addition, if the camera 51 is capable of capturing video, images of multiple fingers U may be captured continuously while the camera 51 is moved by a movement mechanism.

[0081] Furthermore, when the imaging system 50 of the embodiment is provided in the cutting device 100 together with the cut plotter unit 7 which is the cutting section, accurate images of the five fingers U of one hand H can be obtained and cutting operations can be performed based on the images. This makes it possible to generate masking tape suitable for a user's actual finger U or nail T with high accuracy using a single device.

[0082] In addition, in the cutting device 100 of the embodiment, the imaging space (first space Ar1) where the imaging operation is performed by the imaging system and the cutting space (second space Ar2) where the cutting operation is performed by the cut plotter unit 7 are separated vertically by the finger placement section 4 which functions as a partition section. Therefore, even when a single device is used to recognize the shape of a finger U or a nail T and to generate a masking tape Sc, there is a low possibility that the finger U will be mistakenly inserted into the space (second space Ar2) in which the cutter blade 721 is provided. This makes it possible to safely and easily generate a masking tape Sc that matches the shape of a user's nail T using a single cutting device 100.

[0083] [Variations] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0084] For example, in this embodiment, the cutting device 100 and the imaging system 50 provided in the cutting device 100 are integrally controlled by the control unit 11 of the cutting device 100, and the cutting device 100 is configured to be able to operate independently. However, the imaging system 50 and the cutting device 100 including the imaging system 50 are not limited to being used independently. For example, the imaging system 50 and the cutting device 100 including the imaging system 50 may be configured to perform imaging processing and cutting processing in cooperation with various terminal devices (for example, mobile terminals such as smartphones and tablet terminals, and stationary PCs).

[0085] In this case, it may be a control unit of a terminal device linked to the cutting device 100, rather than the control unit 11 of the cutting device 100, that functions as, for example, information acquiring means for acquiring information on the outer shape of the finger U and information on the area of ​​the nail T from the finger image. Similarly, the control unit of the terminal device may also function as a reception unit that accepts an input operation regarding whether the hand H is placed on the placement table 4 is left or right, a pattern reception unit that accepts information on a desired pattern, an adjustment unit that adjusts the pattern so that it fits within the area of ​​the nail T, based on the information on the outer shape of the finger U and the information on the area of ​​the nail T acquired by the information acquiring means, and the like. In the case where the control unit of the terminal device is responsible for each of these functions, the control unit 11 of the cutting device 100 operates the imaging unit 5 to capture a finger image and provides it to the terminal device. In addition, the control unit 11 functions as a cutting control unit that receives an adjustment result as an adjustment unit from the terminal device, operates the cut plotter unit 7 as a cutting unit based on the adjustment result, and generates a masking tape Sc in which a pattern is cut out in an area corresponding to the area of ​​the nail T. In this way, the roles of the control unit 11 and the storage unit 12 can be reduced, and the control device 10 of the cutting device 100 can be simplified.

[0086] Furthermore, in the case where the cutting device 100 can be linked to a terminal device, various operations and displays, etc. may be performed by an operation input unit or a display unit, etc. of a terminal device with which communication can be performed, for example, via the communication unit 23, even if the cutting device 100 does not have an operation input unit 22 or a display unit, etc.

[0087] In this embodiment, one camera 51 is provided as an imaging means, and is moved to positions corresponding to the four fingers U from the little finger to the index finger and the thumb Us by a moving mechanism consisting of a shaft 81, a driving motor 82, a pulley 83, a driven pulley 84, a timing belt 85, etc., to obtain finger images of the five fingers U of one hand H in two separate times, but the method of obtaining finger images of the five fingers U of one hand H is not limited to this. For example, a camera may be provided at a position corresponding to the four fingers U from the little finger to the index finger, a camera provided at a position corresponding to the thumb Us of the right hand, and a camera provided at a position corresponding to the thumb Us of the left hand, and finger images corresponding to each finger may be obtained without moving the moving mechanism. Furthermore, five cameras may be provided corresponding to the five fingers U of one hand. Furthermore, as the imaging means, a camera having a wide angle of view corresponding to the four fingers U from the little finger to the index finger and the light guiding means 55 enabling imaging of the thumb Us may be adopted, so that all five fingers U of one hand H can be imaged from one location. In this way, when there is no need to move the camera 51, there is no need to link the imaging unit 5 and the cut plotter unit 7 as an integrated moving body 9, and therefore a configuration is provided in which the connecting frame body 91 is not provided.

[0088] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the camera 51 as an imaging means is moved to a position corresponding to the four fingers U from the little finger to the index finger, and to a position corresponding to the thumb Us, and finger images of the five fingers U of one hand H are obtained in two separate sessions; however, for example, the camera 51 may be moved in sequence to positions corresponding to the little finger through the index finger and the thumb Us by a movement mechanism, and the imaging and movement may be repeated for each finger U, thereby allowing the camera 51 to individually image the nail T of each of the five fingers U.

[0089] Furthermore, it is not essential that the imaging unit 5 and the cut plotter unit 7 are moved as an integrated moving body 9 by a single moving mechanism, and each may be provided with a separate moving mechanism. In this case, for example, while an imaging operation is performed in a first space Ar1 which is an imaging space, a cutting operation may be performed in a second space Ar2 which is a cutting space, one by one, starting from those for which contour information about the finger U or the nail T has been acquired. By operating the imaging unit 5 and the cut plotter unit 7 separately and independently in each space in this manner, it is expected that the processing time can be shortened.

[0090] In addition, in this embodiment, an example is given of a case in which the user inputs whether he or she has placed the right hand H or the left hand H on the mounting base 4 from the operation input unit 22 or the like, and the control unit 11 accepts this input and moves the camera 51, etc., but the method by which the control unit 11 determines which hand H has been placed is not limited to this. For example, the control unit 11 may guide the user through a display or audio output as to which hand H (left or right) should be placed on the placement stand 4, and may move the camera 51 on the assumption that the user will place the hand H in accordance with this guidance. In addition, for example, the control unit 11 may operate the camera 51 of the imaging unit 5 to capture an image of the mounting base 4, and perform image analysis of the obtained image to automatically recognize whether the left or right hand H is placed on the mounting base 4.

[0091] Although the cutting device 100 of the present embodiment is an apparatus for producing the masking tape Sc from the base tape Sa, the cutting device 100 is not limited to one that produces the masking tape Sc. The cutting device 100 may be one that produces, for example, nail stickers to be attached to nails T. In this case too, the contour shape of the nails T of the five fingers U of one hand H is detected from the image (finger image) acquired by the imaging system 50, and nail stickers are cut out according to the contour shape, making it possible to generate nail stickers in a shape that fits the user's nails T without much effort.

[0092] Further, in the present embodiment, the imaging system 50 is provided inside the cutting device 100, but the imaging system 50 is not limited to being built into the cutting device 100. The imaging system may be provided in a dedicated machine that acquires finger images of multiple fingers U, including the thumb Us of one hand H or both hands H. In this case, it is also possible to obtain planar finger images of all fingers U, even including the thumb Us, which would be tilted when arranged in a plane alongside other fingers. The imaging system may also be provided within a printing device that prints (nail prints) on the nails T. In this case, the nail prints can be performed accurately within the range of the contour shape of the nails T that is accurately detected for all five fingers U of one hand H.

[0093] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 2. Chassis 22 Operation input section 4. Placement table 41 Depression 5 Imaging unit 50 Imaging System 51 Camera 55 Light guiding means 6 Tape placement section 62 Tape set stand 7 Cut plotter unit 72 Cutting section body 721 Cutter blade 10 Control device 11 Control section 12 Storage section 100 Cutting device C1, C2 cutouts S tape material Sa Base Tape Sb Mask Base Sc Masking Tape T-nail U finger Us Thumb

Claims

1. a placement table that is provided parallel to a predetermined reference plane and on which one hand is placed with the palm side of the hand and the five fingers aligned; an imaging means for imaging the nails of each of the five fingers placed on the table, the imaging means being provided such that an optical axis of the imaging means is parallel to a normal line of the reference surface and an imaging direction of the imaging means is oriented toward the table; a light guiding means provided at a position corresponding to a thumb among the five fingers, for guiding incident light from a nail of the thumb so as to be nearly parallel to the normal line; An imaging system comprising:

2. the light guiding means is a half pentaprism arranged such that an incident surface of the light guiding means is inclined with respect to the reference plane, so that the incident surface faces the nail of the thumb; 2. The imaging system according to claim 1 .

3. The placement table is configured to be usable by both the right hand and the left hand, The light guiding means is provided at a position corresponding to the thumb of the right hand and a position corresponding to the thumb of the left hand.

2. The imaging system according to claim 1 .

4. a moving mechanism for moving the imaging means parallel to the reference plane; a control means for causing the imaging means to capture images of the nails of each of the five fingers individually by moving the imaging means to positions corresponding to the five fingers in order using the moving mechanism; 2. The imaging system according to claim 1, further comprising:

5. The imaging system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, a cutting unit that performs a cutting operation on the base tape based on information acquired based on an image of the nail acquired by the imaging means of the imaging system to generate a masking tape; A cutting device comprising:

6. An imaging space in which an imaging operation by the imaging system is performed and a cutting space in which a cutting operation by the cutting unit is performed are vertically separated by a partition wall.

6. The cutting device according to claim 5,

7. When the nails of each of the five fingers of one hand are placed with the palm side on a placement stand provided parallel to a predetermined reference plane, the nails are imaged by an imaging means provided such that the optical axis is parallel to the normal to the reference plane and the imaging direction is directed toward the placement stand, When imaging at least the nail of the thumb of the five fingers, the imaging means is moved by a moving mechanism to a position corresponding to the thumb parallel to the reference plane, and the imaging means is caused to image the nail via a light guiding means for emitting incident light from the nail of the thumb so as to approach parallel to the normal line.

13. An imaging method comprising:

8. a computer of an imaging system for imaging the nails of each of the five fingers of one hand, the hand being placed with the palm side on a placement stand provided parallel to a predetermined reference plane, by an imaging means provided such that an optical axis is parallel to a normal to the reference plane and an imaging direction faces the placement stand, an imaging control function for controlling an imaging operation of the imaging means; a movement control function for moving the imaging means parallel to the reference plane so as to image each nail individually at a position corresponding to each of the five fingers; Realize this, When imaging the nail of the thumb of the five fingers, the movement control function moves the imaging means so as to image the nail via a light guiding means for emitting incident light from the nail so as to approach parallel to the normal line, and the imaging control function causes the imaging means to image the nail at a position corresponding to the light guiding means. A program characterized by:

Images