Non-contact operation control device and non-contact opening / closing box

Abstract

The present invention provides a non-contact operation control device that is less prone to malfunctions, and a non-contact opening / closing box using the same. [Solution] The system comprises a first non-contact switch 11, a second non-contact switch 12 arranged alongside the first non-contact switch and having a different detection area from the first non-contact switch, and a microcontroller 20 that receives the output signals of these switches. The microcontroller 20 generates a password code from the output signals of the switches, verifies whether this password code matches a preset reference code, and outputs a control signal if they match. The password code is obtained by converting the combination of the number of times the first non-contact switch 11 or the second non-contact switch 12 was turned on and the order in which they were turned on into binary data.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a non-contact operation control device and a non-contact opening and closing box using the same, and particularly to a non-contact opening and closing box that can be automatically opened and closed without touching a door, a handle, a knob, etc., and can be reliably opened and closed so that unintentional opening and closing does not occur.

Background Art

[0002] There are various boxes for storing contents while being shielded from the outside air, such as disinfection storage cabinets, medicine cabinets, sterilization lockers, etc. Such boxes are equipped with devices for sterilizing and disinfecting by various means such as ultraviolet rays, ozone, plasma, heating, etc. Particularly in fields such as medical and research, when storing instruments for sterilization or storing reagents and biological samples, etc., when taking in and out stored items, touching a door, a handle, a knob, etc. may contaminate the stored items. Therefore, it may be desirable to open and close the door of this type of storage cabinet without contact.

[0003] As a device for opening and closing the door of a box such as a storage cabinet without contact, there is, for example, a non-contact type door automatic opening and closing device that combines a photoelectric sensor and a drive motor as described in Patent Document 1. However, this simply detects that a finger or the like has entered and moved in the detection area of the photoelectric sensor, and there is a risk of accidentally performing an opening and closing operation when a finger or other object enters and moves in the detection area unintentionally.

[0004] Further, the non-contact switch control system of Patent Document 2 prevents the device from entering an operating state even if an object accidentally enters the detection area of the non-contact switch after the control starts. Although there is no clear limitation as a non-contact switch, it is assumed that a radio signal, a capacitance value of the human body, infrared light, an ultrasonic reflection signal, etc. are used as the trigger of the switch.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-074617 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2024-096670 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] However, the invention described in Patent Document 2 enters a standby state after control starts, and if a specific non-contact switch is turned on during that time, it maintains the standby state for a certain period of time to prevent malfunctions; it does not prevent malfunctions from the beginning. In other words, if an object accidentally enters the detection area of ​​a non-contact switch other than the specific one while in standby state, a malfunction will occur.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and one of its objectives is to provide a non-contact operation control device that is less prone to malfunctions and a non-contact opening / closing box using the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, a contactless operation control device according to one embodiment detects human action and comprises a first contactless switch, a second contactless switch arranged next to the first contactless switch, and a microcontroller. The first and second contactless switches each have different detection areas and turn on when an object enters the detection area, outputting a first signal from the first contactless switch and a second signal from the second contactless switch. The microcontroller converts the first and second signals into digital signals, generates a password code from the digital signals, checks whether the password code matches a preset reference code, and outputs a control signal if they match. The password code is obtained by converting the combination of the number of times the first or second contactless switch has been turned on and the order in which they have been turned on into binary data.

[0009] Furthermore, the non-contact operation control device of another embodiment is further equipped with a display means that starts mode detection corresponding to the operation of the object when either the first output signal or the second output signal is first received, and indicates that the mode detection has started.

[0010] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the non-contact operation control device, the display means comprises a first LED positioned adjacent to the first non-contact switch and a second LED positioned adjacent to the second non-contact switch.

[0011] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the contactless operation control device, after the microcontroller starts the mode detection, it lights up the first LED and the second LED, which are located adjacent to the first and second contactless switches, in the order in which the first and second contactless switches should be turned on based on the preset reference code. In this case, the preset reference code may be randomly rewritten to a different reference code, or the preset reference code may be rewritten to a specific reference code using a mode setting switch connected to the microcontroller. After rewriting, the microcontroller checks whether the password code matches the other reference code or the specific reference code.

[0012] Furthermore, the non-contact operation control device of another embodiment further comprises a first motor driver and a second motor driver, the first motor driver and the second motor driver operating in accordance with the control signal. The first motor driver and the second motor driver may be integrated into a single IC chip.

[0013] Furthermore, one embodiment of the non-contact opening and closing box includes the above-mentioned non-contact operation control device, and comprises a box body having an opening on one side and a door positioned to cover the opening, the door being able to be opened and closed without contact, and includes a first motor positioned near the opening of the box body and driven by the first motor driver, and a door lock mechanism that is interlocked with the first motor, the door lock mechanism having a bolt that moves by the rotation of the shaft of the first motor and a strike that fits onto the bolt. In addition, a second motor driven by the second motor driver may be further positioned near the opening of the box body, and the door may have a rotating shaft that rotates when the torque of the second motor is transmitted. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The contactless operation control device according to the present invention is less prone to malfunctions because it does not output a control signal unless the PIN code and the reference code match. Furthermore, the non-contact opening and closing box according to the present invention has the advantage of preventing contamination of doors and other parts by germs due to contact with the human body, etc., and preventing re-adhesion of germs when sterilized stored items are taken in or out, as it can be opened and closed without contact. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of a disinfection storage cabinet to which the present invention is applied. [Figure 2] This is a circuit block diagram showing the basic structure of the non-contact operation control device according to the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a circuit diagram showing a non-contact operation control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a conceptual diagram illustrating the relationship between hand movements and PIN codes. [Figure 5] This is a circuit diagram showing a non-contact operation control device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart showing a series of operations of the non-contact operation control device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7]It is a flowchart showing a series of operations of the contactless operation control device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a circuit diagram showing a contactless operation control device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a flowchart showing a series of operations of the contactless operation control device according to the fourth embodiment.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. In each of the following embodiments, parts that are the same or equivalent to each other are denoted by the same reference numerals and will be described. Also, unlocking and locking and opening and closing of the key will be described as equivalent.

[0017] (Basic Structure) The basic structures of the contactless operation control device and the contactless opening and closing box will be described by taking a disinfection storage as an example. FIG. 1 shows a sterilization and disinfection storage 1, which incorporates an ultraviolet lamp (not shown) and has a function of sterilizing the stored items. The sterilization and disinfection storage 1 includes a box body 2 with one side open, a translucent door 3 arranged so as to be able to cover the opening, and a handle 4 fixed to the door 3. The contactless operation control device consists of a main control unit 100, a key opening and closing unit 50 and a door opening and closing unit 60 that operate with signals from the main control unit 100. On the other hand, FIG. 2 shows a circuit block diagram of the contactless operation control device. The main control unit 100 includes a contactless switch unit 10, a microcontroller 20, a motor driver 30 and a power supply IC 40, and these are mounted on the same mounting board.

[0018] The components of the non-contact operation control device are described in detail below. First, the non-contact switch section 10 includes three non-contact switches 11, 12, and 13. Each non-contact switch is equipped with a light-emitting element such as an LED (11a, 12a, 13a) and a light-receiving element such as a phototransistor (11b, 12b, 13b). These light-emitting and light-receiving elements are molded in transparent resin, and the rest of the components are covered with black light-shielding resin. The transparent resin area covering the light-emitting element is formed in a long, narrow shape, and the light-receiving element is positioned closer to the light-shielding resin within the transparent resin area. In this way, the optical axis is adjusted so that the detection areas of adjacent non-contact switches do not overlap. The output of the light-receiving element is level-adjusted and IV-converted by an amplifier and other circuits (not shown) to become the output signal of the non-contact switch. For example, if a finger or other object enters the detection area of ​​any of the non-contact switches, an output signal of a predetermined potential appears from that non-contact switch, and if nothing enters the detection area, a zero or low-level output signal appears.

[0019] The input ports (IN1, IN2, IN3) of the microcontroller 20 receive the output signals from the non-contact switches (11, 12, 13). An input device (not shown) is connected to these input ports and converts the received output signals into binary voltage signals of Hi and Lo. That is, if a finger or other object enters the detection area, a Hi (or Lo) voltage signal is output from the input device; conversely, if no object enters, a Lo (or Hi) voltage signal is output.

[0020] Here, the non-contact switch section 10 has three non-contact switches 11, 12, and 13. By repeatedly placing a fingertip or the like into the detection area of ​​any of the non-contact switches within a certain period of time, a password can be generated. The non-contact operation control device performs mode detection in response to the finger movements used to generate this password. This mode detection will be described later. The password, which consists of a combination of binary signals, is generated as a result of predetermined processing performed by the internal circuitry and software (not shown) of the microcontroller 20 based on the output of the input device. This password is then checked within the microcontroller 20 to see if it matches a reference code that has been pre-set and stored in memory. If the password and the reference code match as a result of this check, control signals are output from the output terminals OUT1 and OUT2 of the microcontroller 20.

[0021] The lock opening / closing unit 50 is a component that locks and unlocks using an electromagnetic actuator as a power source. It is formed by mounting a solenoid body 51, a shaft 52 inserted therein, a relay 53, and a reflector 54 on the same circuit board. The solenoid of the lock opening / closing unit 50 is positioned to work in conjunction with the door lock mechanism. The solenoid may be a spring-loaded pull solenoid. The shaft 52 protrudes when the solenoid body 51 is de-energized and retracts into the solenoid body 51 when energized. The shaft 52 is also directly or via a cam or the like to work with the deadbolt of the door lock mechanism (not shown). Therefore, when the solenoid body 51 is de-energized, the deadbolt remains engaged with the strike (not shown), maintaining a locked state where the door 3 cannot be opened even when the handle 4 is pulled. The strike is a metal part with a through hole formed therein that engages with the deadbolt, and is attached to the frame of the door 3 together with the strike plate.

[0022] For example, when the PIN code and the reference code match and a control signal is output from OUT1 of the microcontroller 20, the relay 53 closes, and the solenoid body 51 is energized with 12V from the power supply IC 40. As a result, the shaft 52 is pulled into the solenoid body 51, and the deadbolt is removed from the strike plate of the door 3, unlocking it. The reflector 54 detects the movement of the shaft 52 by reflecting light and transmits the distinction between locked and unlocked as a Hi or Lo signal to the input port IN4 of the microcontroller 20.

[0023] The door opening / closing section 60 is a component that opens and closes the door using a motor as the power source, and it integrates a DC motor 61 and a reflector 62. The DC motor 61 is drivable by a motor driver 30 in the main control unit 100. The motor driver 30 has a built-in full-bridge circuit that operates according to a signal input to input port INa1. Input port INa1 receives a control signal of Hi, Lo, or ground potential (0V). This drives or stops the gate of the full-bridge. OUTa1 is connected to the output of one of the two half-bridges that make up the full-bridge, and OUTa2 is connected to the output of the other half-bridge, allowing 12V supplied from the power supply IC 40 to energize the coil of the DC motor 61. Therefore, the direction of the current flowing through the coil changes according to the signal (Hi or Lo) input to input port INa1, so the DC motor 61 can be rotated forward or backward. Also, if the signal input to input port INa1 is set to ground potential, the current can be stopped and the DC motor 61 can be stopped.

[0024] For example, when the PIN code and the reference code match, a high-level voltage control signal is output from the output port OUT2 of the microcontroller 20. The motor driver 30 receives this signal at its input port INa1 and sends current from OUTa1 to OUTa2. As a result, the DC motor 61 rotates forward, and its torque is transmitted through the shaft to the rotation axis of the door 3, causing the rotation axis to rotate and the door 3 to open. The high-level voltage control signal is output for the duration that the door 3 is fully open, after which a ground potential control signal is output.

[0025] To close door 3, a PIN code for closing the door should be generated by mode detection for the contactless switch unit 10. In this case, a low-level voltage control signal is sent from the output port OUT2 of the microcontroller 20 to the input port INa1 of the motor driver 30, and the outputs of OUTa1 and OUTa2 are inverted. In this way, closing door 3 can also be done without contact.

[0026] The reflector 62 detects the movement of the door 3 by reflecting light and transmits the closed state and the open state of the door as a Hi-level closed signal and a Lo-level open signal to the input port IN5 of the microcontroller 20, respectively. Upon receiving the closed signal after the door 3 has opened, the microcontroller 20 enters a detection standby state.

[0027] The power supply IC 40 is, for example, a multi-channel switching power supply, which generates 3.3V, 5V, and 12V from the power supply voltage VDD. The power supply voltage VDD is supplied, for example, from a 100V AC power supply via an AD converter. 3.3V is supplied to the low-power reflectors 54 and 62, 5V to the relatively low-power non-contact switch section 10 and microcontroller 20, and 12V to the solenoid body 51 and DC motor 61, which require driving force and have relatively high power consumption. To reduce the power used by switches and sensors, means for intermittent operation of the light-emitting and receiving elements in standby mode may be provided inside or outside the power supply IC. Note that a charge pump may be used as the power supply IC instead of a switching power supply.

[0028] (First Embodiment) Next, the contactless operation control device according to the first embodiment will be described, focusing on its circuit operation. The circuit operation described using Figure 2 will be omitted. Figure 3 is a circuit diagram of the contactless operation control device according to the first embodiment, corresponding to the circuit block diagram shown in Figure 2. The circuit 101 of the contactless operation control device is broadly divided into a contactless switch circuit 101a and a lock and door opening / closing circuit 101b. The contactless switch circuit 101a is responsible for generating the access code and the associated control, while the lock and door opening / closing circuit 101b is responsible for power. The contactless switch circuit 101a is the main circuit of the main control unit 100 in Figure 2, and enters a standby state simultaneously with power-on. On the other hand, the lock and door opening / closing circuit 101b is the main circuit of the lock opening / closing unit 50 and door opening / closing unit 60 in Figure 2, and operates in response to control signals from the microcontroller 20 of the contactless switch circuit 101a.

[0029] As already explained, a PIN code can be generated by having a finger or other object enter any of the detection areas of the non-contact switches 11 to 13 multiple times. The manner in which this occurs will now be described. First, let's consider the case where a finger is placed in the detection area of ​​the non-contact switch 11. The presence of a finger in the detection area is determined when the light from the light-emitting element reflected from the finger enters the light-receiving element, and at that time, an output signal of a predetermined potential is input to the input device 21 via the first input port of the microcontroller 20. The input device 21 compares the level of the input signal with a threshold, and if it is higher than the threshold, it determines that the non-contact switch 11 is turned on and outputs a Hi signal, and if it is lower, it determines that it remains off and outputs a Lo signal to the subsequent circuit. Therefore, if a finger merely grazes the detection area, the output signal will be below the threshold, and it will be determined that the non-contact switch 11 is not turned on and remains off.

[0030] For example, suppose the output signal of the non-contact switch 11 exceeds a threshold and a Hi signal is output from the input device 21. This signal is the first Hi signal output from the input device 21. Then, a timer (not shown) of the microcontroller 20 starts and mode detection begins. The timer counts up to a predetermined length of time, and mode detection ends when the non-contact switch has been turned on a predetermined number of times within that time. When the fingers are moved away from the detection area of ​​the non-contact switch 11 and then immediately placed into the detection area of ​​another non-contact switch 12, a signal of a predetermined voltage level is input to the input device 21 through the second input port, and a Hi signal is output from the device. During this time, the non-contact switch 11 does not detect the fingers, so the voltage input to the first input port is at a low level, and in response, a Lo signal is output from the input device 21. The subsequent circuit that receives these Hi and Lo signals is, for example, a data register. However, since the time interval between inserting and removing fingers varies from person to person, the output of the data register is passed through a subsequent filter (not shown) to remove redundant data.

[0031] In this way, the results of hand detection are processed into binary data, which becomes the PIN code. A reference code, which is pre-set and recorded in the memory 22 of the microcontroller 20, is also composed of corresponding binary data, and the arithmetic circuit 23 checks whether the two binary data sets match. If the PIN code and the reference code match as a result of the check, a control signal is output from the output device 24 of the microcontroller 20, and the unlocking and door opening operations are performed as already explained in the case of the sterilization storage cabinet. These series of controls are performed by the control device 25 based on the program recorded in the memory 22 of the microcontroller 20. The control device is typically an arithmetic unit such as a CPU.

[0032] Figure 4 is a conceptual diagram showing the relationship between the movement of finger F and the resulting generated PIN code C3. An example is described in which mode detection is terminated when the contactless switch is turned on a total of three times. The left side of this figure shows the contactless switch unit 10, and the right side shows the signal processing inside the microcontroller 20. Figure 4(a) illustrates the case where only the contactless switch 11 is turned on by bringing finger F close to it three times. Since the potential of the input port is measured at predetermined intervals, the data written to the register has redundant time t4, such as C1, but this is removed by filtering as described above.

[0033] Furthermore, the data from times t0, t2, and t5, when finger F is detached and the output signals from all non-contact switches are at a low potential, are redundant and unnecessary, so these are also filtered out. As a result, the three data shown in C2 remain, which are converted into a single binary data set as shown in C3, and used as the password.

[0034] Furthermore, Figure 4(b) illustrates the case where all three contactless switches 11-13 are turned on once each in a specific order. In this case as well, the data written to the register is longer due to the redundant time, but it is processed in the same way as described above to form a 12-bit password consisting of a continuous string of binary data. Here, if the reference code is 010000010010, the lock will not be unlocked by the mode detection in Figure 4(a), but will only be unlocked by the mode detection in Figure 4(b). Moreover, a specific order of turning on the switches is specified: first turn on contactless switch 11, then skip contactless switch 12 and turn on contactless switch 13, and finally turn on contactless switch 12. Such finger movements, unlike when an object simply passes in front of the contactless switch section 10, rarely occur accidentally and are intentional human actions intended to unlock the lock.

[0035] If the PIN code generated by mode detection matches a preset reference code, the output device 24 of the microcontroller 20 sends a first control signal and a second control signal to the relay 53 and the motor driver 30 via the output port. The first control signal sent to the relay 53 is a voltage signal of a predetermined level, which closes the relay 53 and pulls the shaft 52 into the solenoid body 51. On the other hand, the second control signal sent to the motor driver 30 is a high-level voltage signal, which prompts the motor driver 30 to send an open control signal that rotates the DC motor 61 in the forward direction. Note that if the door is opened simultaneously with unlocking, it may cause a malfunction of the controlled object such as a storage unit, so the second control signal is sent with a delay after the first control signal has been sent.

[0036] As described above, according to this embodiment, since it is possible to detect human actions intended to unlock the device, a contactless operation control device that is less prone to malfunctions can be created.

[0037] (Second Embodiment) Figure 5 is a circuit diagram of the contactless operation control device according to the second embodiment. The differences from the circuit diagram shown in Figure 3 are that it has a large number of contactless switches, LEDs are placed near each contactless switch, and motor power is used to open and close the lock.

[0038] While the first embodiment had three contactless switches, this embodiment has a total of N contactless switches (where N is any natural number greater than or equal to 4), with contactless switch 14 located at the end. The outputs of these switches are connected to a single input port via wired OR. Contactless switches 11 to 14 output different voltage signals when fingers enter the detection area, through gain adjustment of the built-in amplifier. The input device 26 has a built-in analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that converts the output signals of contactless switches 11 to 14 into digital values.

[0039] The digitally converted output signal is passed through a subsequent filter (not shown) to remove redundant data and generate a password. This password is obtained by converting a voltage signal waveform consisting of up to N voltage levels into binary data. The memory 22 of the microcontroller 20 stores a reference code for binary data in this format, which is read out and checked in the arithmetic circuit 23 to see if it matches the binary data of the password.

[0040] If the verification results show that the PIN code and the reference code match, a third control signal is output from the output device 24 of the microcontroller 20, and the unlocking and door opening operations are performed. This third control signal is the same as the second control signal described above, but a delay circuit is built into the motor driver 30 to stagger the timing of the start of driving of the DC motors 55 and 61. In this embodiment, a mechanism (not shown) that converts the rotation of the shaft of the DC motor 55 into linear motion makes it possible to insert and remove the deadbolt from the strike of the door 3. That is, the motor driver 31, upon receiving the control signal, rotates the DC motor 55 in the forward direction, and the deadbolt is removed from the strike embedded in the door 3, unlocking it.

[0041] On the other hand, in this embodiment, guide LEDs consisting of LEDs 71 to 73 are provided adjacent to each of the non-contact switches 11 to 14. LEDs 71 to 73 are driven by an LED driver 70, and the LED driver 70 and the microcontroller 20 are connected by an I2C bus, with each LED being assigned a unique address. Therefore, by outputting serial data through a shift register from one of the two output ports of the microcontroller 20 and outputting a clock signal from the other output port, a specific LED can be turned on or off.

[0042] This guide LED has two roles: to signal the start of mode detection with a specific light emission pattern, and to guide the person attempting to open door 3 so that they can unlock it even if they do not remember the PIN code (i.e., specific finger movements). As mentioned above, mode detection starts when a finger or other object enters the detection area of ​​any contactless switch, at which point all of LEDs 71-73, for example, will blink. In this way, the system appeals to the visual sense of the person attempting to open door 3 and signals the start of mode detection. Next, the LEDs adjacent to the contactless switches that should be turned on are illuminated in the order in which they should be turned on based on the reference code. First, the microcontroller 20 illuminates the LED adjacent to the contactless switch that should be turned on first. When the person attempting to open door 3 brings their finger close to the contactless switch adjacent to that illuminated LED, that contactless switch turns on and its LED turns off, and then the LED adjacent to the next contactless switch to be turned on illuminates. In this way, guided by the guide LED, the PIN code can be generated according to the pre-set reference code.

[0043] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing a series of operations of the non-contact operation control device according to the second embodiment. In this embodiment, first, after power is turned on, the device enters a detection standby state (step S1). In this detection standby state, all non-contact switches are in sleep mode or intermittent operation mode. When a finger enters the detection area of ​​any non-contact switch, the movement is detected (step S2), and the first Hi signal is input to the microcontroller 20 through the input device, causing all LEDs 71 to 73 to blink and start mode detection. Subsequently, guidance by lighting the guide LEDs and detection by the non-contact switches are performed sequentially (step S3). Next, the entered PIN code is compared with the reference code (step S4). If they match, an open control signal is sent from the output port of the microcontroller 20 to the motor drivers 30 and 31 (step S5), and unlocking by driving the DC motor 55 and opening by driving the DC motor 61 are performed. After the storage work is completed and door 3 is closed, a closed signal is sent from reflector 62 (step S6), and the system returns to the initial detection standby state.

[0044] Although there is a step to close the door 3 between step S5 and step S6, as described in the explanation of the basic structure, if a mode detection for closing the door 3 is performed, the DC motor 55 can be reversed and the door 3 can be closed without touching it. However, since closing the door 3 also marks the end of the work, the mode detection in this case can be simple, such as detecting an action of simply waving a hand in close proximity to the non-contact switch unit 10. However, mode detection for closing the door 3 is not essential, and the door 3 may be closed by a timed or non-contact external force.

[0045] As described above, this embodiment minimizes the use of input / output ports. Furthermore, since the lock opening and closing are performed by a motor, just like the door opening and closing, both motors can be controlled with a dual-circuit motor driver IC, thus simplifying the circuit and mechanism.

[0046] (Third embodiment) Figure 7 is a flowchart showing a series of operations of the non-contact operation control device according to the third embodiment. The difference from the flowchart shown in Figure 6 is that it includes a step S0 for generating a different reference code. The different reference code is generated by a random number generator (not shown) built into the microcontroller 20, which generates a random bit sequence. In this way, the preset reference code can be automatically rewritten to a different reference code without using a debugger, emulator, or other dedicated programmer. In this manner, the preset reference code is rewritten to a different reference code each time a mode is detected.

[0047] (Fourth Embodiment) Figure 8 is a circuit diagram of a non-contact operation control device according to the fourth embodiment. The difference from the circuit diagram shown in Figure 5 is that it includes a reset switch 81 and a mode setting switch 82. The reference code becomes rewritable by the reset switch 81 and can be rewritten by the mode setting switch 82. The mode setting switch 82 is, for example, a DIP switch with the same number of switch terminals as the number of non-contact switches N. Therefore, by rewriting the pre-set reference code to a specific reference code using the mode setting switch 82, the PIN code required of the person opening the door 3 is changed, and a different pattern of finger movement is required for mode detection.

[0048] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing a series of operations of the non-contact operation control device according to the fourth embodiment. When the reset switch 81 is pressed, a signal of a predetermined voltage level activates a latch circuit (not shown) in the input device, which connects the signal line to the decoder via an internal changeover switch (step S1-1). Then, a timer (not shown) starts and counts time until a predetermined time. During this predetermined time, mode setting becomes possible by switching the state of the mode setting switch 82 (switching the DIP switch) (step S1-2). After the predetermined time has elapsed, the decoder (not shown) converts the signal generated by the state of the DIP switch at that time into binary data and inputs it into a register (not shown). The control device 25 then rewrites the reference code based on the data input into the register and sends a signal to the reset terminal of the latch circuit, returning the internal changeover switch to its original position.

[0049] As described above, this embodiment allows users of contactless opening / closing boxes such as storage cabinets to easily input a specific reference code. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate mode settings that may occur accidentally and to avoid accidental unlocking.

[0050] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, various modifications are possible based on the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiments, a photosensor equipped with a light-emitting and light-receiving element was used as a non-contact switch, but in addition to an LED, a laser diode can be used as the light-emitting element. Furthermore, it is also possible to use a one-dimensional image sensor as a non-contact switch.

[0051] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, all LEDs are made to blink when the guide LED signals mode detection, but all LEDs may be made to light up, or they may be made to light up and turn off in sequence. In other words, as long as it can be distinguished from the guidance for mode detection, various light emission patterns can be adopted.

[0052] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a guide LED is used to guide mode detection, but other light-emitting elements such as OELs can be used instead of LEDs. In addition, it is also possible to use a liquid crystal or other display device that can display information without emitting light to guide the mode.

[0053] Furthermore, although the above embodiment was described with the assumption that the motor is controlled at a constant rotational speed, it is also possible to vary the rotational speed of the motor using pulse width modulation signals or frequency modulation signals to eliminate any unnaturalness in the door opening operation. Such modulation circuits may be built into the MPU or built into the motor driver.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the door lock mechanism is composed of a deadbolt and a strike and catch that engage with it. However, it is also possible to mount the strike so that its through-hole protrudes into the space and the catch is not used. It is also possible to use a latch bolt instead of a deadbolt.

[0055] Furthermore, while the PIN code in the first embodiment described above was a single sequence of binary data, it goes without saying that the PIN code may also be a binary data set consisting of multiple rows of bit sequences. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0056] 1: Sterilization storage 10: Non-contact switch section 11-14: Contactless switches 100: Main control unit 101: Circuit of a non-contact operation control device 101a: Non-contact switch circuit 101b: Lock and door opening / closing circuit 2: Box body 20: Microcontroller 21, 26: Input devices 22: Memory 23: Arithmetic circuit 24: Output device 25: Control device 3: Door 30, 31: Motor Driver 4: Handle 40: Power IC 50: Lock opening / closing mechanism 51: Solenoid body 52: Shaft 53: Relay 54, 62: Reflector 55, 61: DC motor 60: Door opening / closing mechanism 70: LED driver 71-73: LED 81: Reset switch 82: Mode setting switch C1: Register data C2: Filtered data C3: PIN code F: Finger IN1~5: Input Ports INa1: Input port OUT1~2: Output ports OUTa1~a2: Output ports S0~S6: Step VDD: Power supply voltage t0~t4: time

Claims

1. A contactless operation control device comprising a first contactless switch, a second contactless switch arranged alongside the first contactless switch, and a microcontroller, The first non-contact switch and the second non-contact switch each have different detection areas, and turn on when an object enters the detection area, outputting a first signal from the first non-contact switch and a second signal from the second non-contact switch. The microcontroller converts the first signal and the second signal into digital signals, generates a password from the digital signals, checks whether the password matches a preset reference code, and outputs a control signal if they match. A contactless operation control device for detecting human error, characterized in that the PIN code is obtained by converting the combination of the number of times the first contactless switch or the second contactless switch is turned on and the order in which they are turned on into binary data.

2. When either the first signal or the second signal is first received, mode detection corresponding to the operation of the object is initiated. The non-contact operation control device for detecting artificial movements according to claim 1, further comprising a display means for indicating that the mode detection has been initiated.

3. The non-contact operation control device for detecting human error, according to claim 2, characterized in that the display means comprises a first LED arranged adjacent to the first non-contact switch and a second LED arranged adjacent to the second non-contact switch.

4. The non-contact operation control device for detecting artificial movement according to claim 3, characterized in that, after starting the mode detection, the microcontroller lights up the first LED and the second LED, which are located adjacent to the first non-contact switch and the second non-contact switch, respectively, in the order in which the first non-contact switch and the second non-contact switch should be turned on based on the preset reference code.

5. The aforementioned pre-set reference code is randomly rewritten and becomes a different reference code. The contactless operation control device for detecting human error according to claim 4, characterized in that, after being rewritten with the aforementioned alternative reference code, the microcontroller verifies whether the password code and the aforementioned alternative reference code match.

6. A mode setting switch is connected to the aforementioned microcontroller. The non-contact operation control device for detecting artificial movements according to claim 4, characterized in that the mode setting switch allows the pre-set reference code to be rewritten to a specific reference code.

7. The system further comprises a first motor driver and a second motor driver. A non-contact operation control device for detecting artificial movement according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the first motor driver and the second motor driver operate in response to the control signal.

8. A non-contact opening and closing box having a box body with an opening on one side and a door positioned to cover the opening, wherein the door can be opened and closed without contact, A first motor is positioned near the opening of the box body and is driven by the first motor driver, The device comprises a door lock mechanism that is linked to the first motor, The door lock mechanism is characterized by having a bolt that moves by the rotation of the shaft of the first motor and a strike that fits onto the bolt, and is a non-contact opening / closing box equipped with a non-contact operation control device for detecting human error as described in claim 7.

9. A second motor, driven by the second motor driver, is further positioned near the opening of the box body. The non-contact opening and closing box according to claim 8, characterized in that the door has a rotating shaft that rotates when torque from the second motor is transmitted to it.

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