Barcode scanning device for cylindrical secondary batteries

Abstract

The present invention provides a barcode scanning device for a cylindrical secondary battery that scans a barcode located on a side of a cylindrical secondary battery, comprising: a light that emits light; a barcode reader that receives light to scan a barcode; sub-mirrors including one sub-mirror that is positioned relatively close to the barcode reader and the other sub-mirror that is positioned relatively close to the cylindrical secondary battery; and a main mirror that reflects light reflected from the sub-mirror positioned relatively close to the barcode reader toward the barcode reader; wherein the sub-mirror positioned near the cylindrical secondary battery is positioned in a position where it can receive light reflected from the side of the cylindrical secondary battery, and the received light is reflected by the sub-mirror positioned near the barcode reader.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] [CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0174177, filed on December 7, 2021, and all contents disclosed in the documents of that Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a barcode scanning device for cylindrical secondary batteries, and more particularly to a barcode scanning device for cylindrical secondary batteries that can have a wider scannable area so that printed barcodes can be quickly scanned without rotating the cylindrical secondary battery (even if the barcode is not pointed straight at the barcode scanner). [Background technology]

[0003] Secondary batteries are widely used in various digital devices and transportation such as vehicles, and are characterized by their ability to be repeatedly charged and discharged. Research and development is being continuously conducted to increase efficiency and improve safety.

[0004] Secondary batteries may be classified into various types according to the shape of a battery case in which an electrode assembly is mounted or the material of the electrode assembly. Among them, cylindrical, square, and pouch types are the most widely manufactured types according to the shape of the battery case.

[0005] Among these, the cylindrical secondary battery has a structure in which an electrode assembly and an electrolyte are contained inside a hollow cylindrical can having an open top, and a top cap is attached to the top of the can.

[0006] The electrode assembly is manufactured by winding a laminate of a positive electrode, a separator, a negative electrode, and a separator, which are continuously supplied, from the center, and then cutting the laminate to a predetermined length, and has a structure in which a positive electrode tab extending from the positive electrode protrudes from the upper side and a negative electrode tab extending from the negative electrode protrudes from the lower side. When the electrode assembly is inserted into a can, the negative electrode tab on the lower side is welded to the upper surface of the can bottom, and the positive electrode tab on the upper side is connected to a top cap that is coupled to the upper end of the can.

[0007] Meanwhile, the cylindrical secondary battery manufactured in this manner has a bar code printed directly on it or has a label with a bar code printed on it attached so that information such as the manufacturer, capacity, production date, production line, etc. can be quickly identified.

[0008] After the manufacturing process is completed, the barcode is scanned to identify the product information during product inspection and packaging, and appropriate processes are then carried out for each product according to the scanned information.

[0009] Therefore, in order to prevent a decrease in the efficiency of the production process, there is a need for accurate and fast barcode scanning.

[0010] Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 1, which shows a simplified configuration of a conventional scanning device, the conventional cylindrical secondary battery scanning device has a cylindrical secondary battery 1 standing on reflectors 3a and 3b with a barcode reader 2 placed on top. When light emitted from a light 4 is reflected by the reflectors 3a and 3b and then reflected off the barcode 1a on the cylindrical secondary battery 1, the reflected light is received by the barcode reader 2 and recognizes the barcode 1a.

[0011] However, in such a conventional structure, problems may occur in scanning the barcode 1a depending on the position of the cylindrical secondary battery 1. That is, when the cylindrical secondary battery 1 is placed on the reflector 3b, the area on which the barcode 1a is printed is not placed in a fixed state, so there are cases where the cylindrical secondary battery 1 needs to be rotated separately so that it is placed in a fixed position. In addition, even if the cylindrical secondary battery 1 is rotated, the light reflected by the reflectors 3a and 3b is not irradiated from the front of the barcode 1a but is irradiated obliquely from below, which makes it difficult to align it to a fixed position.

[0012] In particular, as production equipment speeds up, the additional rotation of the cylindrical secondary battery 1 may reduce the efficiency of the production process. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0013] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENTS Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a barcode scanning device for cylindrical secondary batteries that can quickly recognize barcodes regardless of the orientation and rotational position of the cylindrical secondary battery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a cylindrical secondary battery barcode scanning device for scanning a barcode located on a side of a cylindrical secondary battery, the device comprising: a barcode reader for receiving light and scanning the barcode; a light for emitting light; a sub-mirror including one of the sub-mirrors disposed relatively close to the barcode reader and the other of the sub-mirrors disposed relatively close to the cylindrical secondary battery; and a main mirror that reflects light reflected from the sub-mirror arranged relatively closer to the barcode reader toward the barcode reader, and the sub-mirror arranged closer to the cylindrical secondary battery is arranged in a position where it can receive light reflected from a side of the cylindrical secondary battery and reflects the received light to the sub-mirror arranged closer to the barcode reader.

[0015] Two of the sub-mirrors are arranged in a pair on one side of the cylindrical secondary battery, and two are arranged in a pair on the other side.

[0016] The main mirror is disposed between a sub-mirror disposed on one side of the cylindrical secondary battery and a sub-mirror disposed on the other side of the cylindrical secondary battery.

[0017] The main mirror has two reflecting surfaces so that the light received from both sides is simultaneously irradiated onto the barcode reader.

[0018] The sub-mirrors include a first sub-mirror disposed on one side in the horizontal direction perpendicular to an extension direction of the barcode reader and the cylindrical secondary battery (i.e., from the top to the left in FIG. 2) between the barcode reader and the cylindrical secondary battery; a second sub-mirror disposed on the other side in the horizontal direction perpendicular to an extension direction of the barcode reader and the cylindrical secondary battery (i.e., from the top to the right in FIG. 2) between the barcode reader and the cylindrical secondary battery; a third sub-mirror disposed next to the cylindrical secondary battery on one side in the horizontal direction (i.e., from the bottom to the left in FIG. 2) similar to the first sub-mirror; and a fourth sub-mirror disposed next to the cylindrical secondary battery on the other side in the horizontal direction (i.e., from the bottom to the right in FIG. 2) similar to the second sub-mirror. The first sub-mirror and the third sub-mirror are disposed in a pair on one side of the cylindrical secondary battery, and the second sub-mirror and the fourth sub-mirror are disposed in a pair on the other side of the cylindrical secondary battery.

[0019] The first sub-mirror and the third sub-mirror, which form a pair with each other, are disposed symmetrically with the second sub-mirror and the fourth sub-mirror, which form a pair with each other.

[0020] At least two or more lights are arranged spaced apart from each other, and the positions of the lights may be variously arranged as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 7, or four lights may be arranged as shown in FIG.

[0021] Therefore, the lighting may be arranged on both sides of the barcode reader, at a point closer to the first sub-mirror than the third sub-mirror along the extension direction (longitudinal direction) of the barcode reader and the cylindrical secondary battery, and at a point closer to the second sub-mirror than the fourth sub-mirror along the extension direction of the barcode reader and the cylindrical secondary battery (see the configuration in Figure 4).

[0022] The first, second, third and fourth sub-mirrors are each capable of individually adjusting the angle and position so that the incidence angle and reflection angle can be adjusted.

[0023] The device may further include a grip device (not shown) for adjusting the angle and position of the sub-mirror so that the light irradiated through the sub-mirror is directed to a side surface of the cylindrical secondary battery. Effect of the Invention

[0024] The present invention having the technical features as described above has two sub-mirrors and a main mirror arranged along the path along which the light reflected from the barcode is received by the barcode reader, so that the light reflected from the barcode can reach the barcode reader more efficiently.

[0025] That is, the sub-mirror is positioned to reflect light reflected horizontally from the barcode, allowing a more accurate barcode image to be transmitted to the barcode reader without distortion, and since it can transmit light reflected from the barcode over a wider area, the allowable angle range can be increased when a cylindrical secondary battery is placed on it.

[0026] In addition, only one of the sub-mirrors that is disposed relatively close to the cylindrical secondary battery is adjusted, so that the barcode can be scanned more easily.

[0027] The sub-mirrors are arranged in pairs on both sides of the cylindrical secondary battery, and can scan both sides of the cylindrical secondary battery in their entirety, which has the advantage that rotation of the cylindrical secondary battery is not required.

[0028] Furthermore, since the position and reflection angle of each sub-mirror can be adjusted individually, the illumination arrangement can be configured more freely.

[0029] In addition, in the conventional structure, reflection occurs at the bottom surface, making it difficult to obtain uniform brightness and images. However, in the present invention, there is no reflection at the bottom surface, so it is possible to obtain images with uniform brightness. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram showing the configuration of a conventional cylindrical secondary battery scanning device. [Diagram 2] 1 is a simplified diagram showing the configuration of a barcode scanning device for a cylindrical secondary battery according to the present invention; [Diagram 3] This is a simplified diagram showing a configuration in which a cylindrical secondary battery is arranged upright and a scanning device is arranged horizontally (perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical secondary battery). [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which illumination is arranged above the first sub-mirror and the second sub-mirror in the state shown in FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which illumination is arranged below the third sub-mirror and the fourth sub-mirror in the state shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which illumination is arranged above the first and second sub-mirrors and below the third and fourth sub-mirrors in the state shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the illumination is arranged from below the first and second sub-mirrors to above the third and fourth sub-mirrors in the state shown in FIG. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in order to enable those skilled in the art to easily carry out their practice of the present invention. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0032] In order to clearly describe the present invention, parts that are not relevant to the description will be omitted, and the same reference numerals will be used throughout the specification to refer to the same or similar components.

[0033] Furthermore, the terms and words used in this specification and the claims should not be interpreted limited to their ordinary and dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted in a way that is consistent with the technical ideas of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor himself / herself can appropriately define the concepts of terms in order to explain the invention in the best possible manner.

[0034] The present invention relates to a cylindrical secondary battery barcode scanning device that scans a barcode located on a side surface of a cylindrical secondary battery 1. Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 2, which shows a simplified configuration of a barcode scanning device for a cylindrical secondary battery according to the present invention, the present invention includes a lighting device 20, a barcode reader 10, two or more sub-mirrors 30, and a main mirror 40.

[0036] When the cylindrical secondary battery 1 is vertically stood, one or more of the sub-mirrors 30 are disposed relatively close to the cylindrical secondary battery 1, and the other one or more are disposed relatively close to the barcode reader device 10.

[0037] In the present invention, a minimum of two sub-mirrors 30 are provided, and preferably four are provided in pairs as shown.

[0038] That is, the sub-mirror 30 includes a first sub-mirror 31 arranged on one horizontal side (i.e., from the top to the left in FIG. 2) between the barcode reader 10 and the cylindrical secondary battery 1, perpendicular to the extension direction of the barcode reader 10 and the cylindrical secondary battery 1 (the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical secondary battery, the up-down direction in FIG. 2), and a second sub-mirror 32 arranged on the other horizontal side (i.e., from the top to the right in FIG. 2) between the barcode reader 10 and the cylindrical secondary battery 1, perpendicular to the extension direction of the barcode reader 10 and the cylindrical secondary battery 1.

[0039] The optical system further includes a third sub-mirror 33 and a fourth sub-mirror 34, which are vertically symmetrical to the first sub-mirror 31 and the second sub-mirror 32.

[0040] That is, the third sub-mirror 33 is arranged alongside the cylindrical secondary battery 1 on one horizontal side (i.e., the left side from the bottom in Figure 2) similar to the first sub-mirror 31, and the fourth sub-mirror 34 is arranged alongside the cylindrical secondary battery 1 on the other horizontal side (i.e., the right side from the bottom in Figure 2) similar to the second sub-mirror 32.

[0041] Therefore, the first sub-mirror 31 and the third sub-mirror 33 form a pair to transmit the light reflected from one side of the cylindrical secondary battery 1 (left side in Figure 2) to the main mirror 40, and the second sub-mirror 32 and the fourth sub-mirror 34 form a pair to transmit the light reflected from the other side of the cylindrical secondary battery 1 (right side in Figure 2) to the main mirror 40.

[0042] In this case, the first sub-mirror 31 and the third sub-mirror 33 which form a pair with each other are disposed symmetrically with the second sub-mirror 32 and the fourth sub-mirror which form a pair with each other.

[0043] Therefore, the third sub-mirror 33 and the fourth sub-mirror 34 that are disposed relatively close to the cylindrical secondary battery 1 may be disposed to face each other at the same height as the barcode of the cylindrical secondary battery 1 .

[0044] When the third sub-mirror 33 and the fourth sub-mirror 34 receive and reflect the light reflected from the barcode, the first sub-mirror 31 or the second sub-mirror 32, which is disposed relatively close to the barcode reader 10, transmits the light and reflects it on the main mirror 40. In this case, depending on the position of the illumination 20, the light irradiated from the illumination 20 may be transmitted from the first sub-mirror 31 and the second sub-mirror 32 to the barcode via the third sub-mirror 33 and the fourth sub-mirror 34, or the light of the illumination 20 may be directly irradiated to the barcode via the third sub-mirror 33 and the fourth sub-mirror 34 without passing through the first sub-mirror 31 and the second sub-mirror 32.

[0045] The main mirror 40 is disposed between the first sub-mirror 31 and the second sub-mirror 32 so that light can be received from both the first sub-mirror 31 and the second sub-mirror 32. That is, the main mirror 40 has two reflective surfaces so that the light received from both sides is simultaneously irradiated onto the barcode reader device 10. Therefore, the light transmitted from each of the first sub-mirror 31 and the second sub-mirror 32 is transmitted to the barcode reader device 10 via the main mirror 40.

[0046] The barcode reader 10 receives the transmitted light, scans the barcode, and recognizes the information.

[0047] Therefore, in the present invention, the sub-mirrors 33 and 34 arranged near the cylindrical secondary battery 1 reflect light to the sub-mirrors 31 and 32 arranged near the barcode reader machine 10 or the main mirror 40, and the reflected light is finally transmitted to the barcode reader machine 10 via the main mirror 40.

[0048] 2, the sub-mirror 30, main mirror 40, and barcode reader 10 are arranged in a vertical direction (up and down) with the cylindrical secondary battery 1 standing upright. As a result, while the cylindrical secondary battery 1 moves from an area exiting the figure toward the inside of the figure (with reference to FIG. 2), the barcode reader 10 can scan the barcode at the moment the cylindrical secondary battery 1 is positioned between the third sub-mirror 33 and the fourth sub-mirror 34.

[0049] Meanwhile, depending on the movement path and arrangement position of the cylindrical secondary battery 1, the sub-mirror 30, main mirror 40, and barcode reader 10 may be arranged in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the cylindrical secondary battery 1 when the battery is upright.

[0050] As shown in Fig. 3, which shows a simplified configuration in which a cylindrical secondary battery 1 is arranged upright and a scanning device is arranged horizontally, the scanning device provided in the present invention can be provided in another embodiment in which the scanning device is arranged horizontally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical secondary battery. For reference, Fig. 3 is the same as the scanning device shown in Fig. 2 when it is arranged lying at a right angle of 90 degrees and viewed from the left side.

[0051] Therefore, the scanning device of the present invention may be placed on the cylindrical secondary battery 1 regardless of its orientation. Even when placed horizontally like this, the light reflected from the barcode can be transmitted to the barcode scanning device 10 by adjusting the height, angle, and position of the sub-mirror 30 and the main mirror 40. For example, when the scanning device is placed vertically as shown in FIG. 2, scanning is possible even when the cylindrical secondary battery 1 is provided in a lying position (rather than in an upright position as shown in FIG. 2).

[0052] Figure 4 is a diagram showing the state in which the illumination 20 is arranged above the first sub-mirror 31 and the second sub-mirror 32 in the state of Figure 2, Figure 5 is a diagram showing the state in which the illumination 20 is arranged below the third sub-mirror 33 and the fourth sub-mirror 34 in the state of Figure 2, Figure 6 is a diagram showing the state in which the illumination 20 is arranged above the first sub-mirror 31 and the second sub-mirror 32 and below the third sub-mirror 33 and the fourth sub-mirror 34 in the state of Figure 2, and Figure 7 is a diagram showing the state in which the illumination 20 is arranged below the first sub-mirror 31 and the second sub-mirror 32 and above the third sub-mirror 33 and the fourth sub-mirror 34 in the state of Figure 2.

[0053] As described above, the barcode scanning device for the cylindrical secondary battery 1 according to the present invention may be positioned regardless of the attitude of the cylindrical secondary battery 1, and therefore the light-emitting lamp 20 may be positioned more freely.

[0054] That is, as indicated by the arrows in the figure, light is reflected in both directions, rather than in one direction, between adjacent sub-mirrors 30, between the sub-mirror 30 and the main mirror 40, and between the main mirror 40 and the barcode reader device 10.

[0055] Therefore, the illuminators 20 that emit light may be arranged in various positions and in various numbers as shown in Figures 4, 5, and 7. However, it is preferable that at least two of the illuminators 20 are arranged symmetrically and spaced apart from each other so that the sub-mirrors on both sides are uniformly irradiated with light.

[0056] That is, the illumination 20 may be arranged in one location on the top or bottom of the sub-mirror 30, such as above the first sub-mirror 31 and the second sub-mirror 32 in Figure 4 and below the third sub-mirror 33 and the fourth sub-mirror 34 in Figure 5, but it may also be arranged both above and below as shown in Figure 6, or between the upper sub-mirrors 31, 32 and the lower sub-mirrors 33, 34 as shown in Figure 7.

[0057] Furthermore, in the case where light can be irradiated onto the sub-mirror 30, the illumination 20 may be arranged in an area in a direction entering the figure and an area in a direction leaving the figure with reference to FIG.

[0058] Therefore, in order to illuminate the barcode according to the number and arrangement of the lights 20, each of the first sub-mirror 31, the second sub-mirror 32, the third sub-mirror 33, and the fourth sub-mirror 34 can be individually adjusted in angle and position to adjust the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection.

[0059] A grip device (not shown) may be further provided to enable individual adjustment of the angle and position of the sub-mirror 30. The grip device may be configured to adjust not only the sub-mirror 30 but also the attitude of the cylindrical secondary battery 1.

[0060] The gripping device may be configured to physically apply pressure to the sub-mirror to adjust its angle and position, or, if the sub-mirror is configured to be able to move on its own, it may also be provided in the form of a sensor that recognizes illumination and software that is adjusted to control its attitude in response to the light received.

[0061] The present invention having the above-mentioned technical features has two sub-mirrors and a main mirror arranged along the path along which the light reflected from the barcode is received by the barcode reader 10, so that the light reflected from the barcode can reach the barcode reader more efficiently.

[0062] That is, the sub-mirror is positioned to reflect light reflected horizontally from the barcode, allowing a more accurate barcode image to be transmitted to the barcode reader without distortion, and can transmit light reflected from the barcode over a wider area, thereby increasing the allowable angle range when a cylindrical secondary battery is placed on it.

[0063] In addition, only one of the sub-mirrors that is disposed relatively close to the cylindrical secondary battery is adjusted, so that the barcode can be scanned more easily.

[0064] The sub-mirrors are arranged in pairs on both sides of the cylindrical secondary battery, and can scan both sides of the cylindrical secondary battery in their entirety, which has the advantage that rotation of the cylindrical secondary battery is not required.

[0065] In addition, in the conventional structure, reflection occurs at the bottom surface, making it difficult to obtain uniform brightness and images. However, in the present invention, there is no reflection at the bottom surface, so it is possible to obtain images with uniform brightness.

[0066] Although the present invention has been described above using limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various implementations are possible within the technical spirit of the present invention and the scope of the claims set forth below, by a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 10 Barcode reader 20. Lighting 30 Sub-mirror (31 1st sub-mirror, 32 2nd sub-mirror, 33 3rd sub-mirror, 34 4th sub-mirror) 40 Main mirror

Claims

1. A cylindrical secondary battery barcode scanning device that scans a barcode located on a side surface of the cylindrical secondary battery, A lighting device that emits light; A barcode reader that receives light and scans barcodes; one of the sub-mirrors is disposed relatively close to the barcode reader and the other is disposed relatively close to a cylindrical secondary battery; a main mirror that reflects light reflected from the sub mirror toward the bar code reader, the main mirror being disposed relatively close to the bar code reader; A sub-mirror arranged near the cylindrical secondary battery is positioned in a position where it can receive light reflected from the side of the cylindrical secondary battery, and the received light is reflected by a sub-mirror arranged near the barcode reader.

2. The barcode scanning device for a cylindrical secondary battery according to claim 1 , wherein two of the sub-mirrors are arranged in a pair on one side of the cylindrical secondary battery, and two of the sub-mirrors are arranged in a pair on the other side of the cylindrical secondary battery.

3. 3. The cylindrical secondary battery barcode scanning device according to claim 2, wherein the main mirror is disposed between a sub-mirror disposed on one side of the cylindrical secondary battery and a sub-mirror disposed on the other side of the cylindrical secondary battery.

4. 4. The cylindrical secondary battery barcode scanning device according to claim 3, wherein the main mirror has two reflective surfaces so that the light received from both sides is simultaneously irradiated onto the barcode reader.

5. The sub-mirror is a first sub-mirror disposed on one side of the barcode reader and the cylindrical secondary battery in a horizontal direction perpendicular to an extension direction of the barcode reader and the cylindrical secondary battery, between the barcode reader and the cylindrical secondary battery; a second sub-mirror disposed between the barcode reader and the cylindrical secondary battery on the other side in a horizontal direction perpendicular to an extension direction of the barcode reader and the cylindrical secondary battery; a third sub-mirror arranged on one side in the horizontal direction alongside the cylindrical secondary battery, similar to the first sub-mirror; a fourth sub-mirror arranged next to the cylindrical secondary battery on the other side in the horizontal direction similarly to the second sub-mirror, 4. The barcode scanning device for a cylindrical secondary battery according to claim 3, wherein the first sub-mirror and the third sub-mirror are arranged in a pair on one side of the cylindrical secondary battery, and the second sub-mirror and the fourth sub-mirror are arranged in a pair on the other side of the cylindrical secondary battery.

6. The barcode scanning device for a cylindrical secondary battery according to claim 5 , wherein the first sub-mirror and the third sub-mirror which form a pair with each other are arranged symmetrically with the second sub-mirror and the fourth sub-mirror which form a pair with each other.

7. The barcode scanning device for a cylindrical secondary battery according to claim 5 , wherein at least two of the lights are arranged spaced apart from each other.

8. 8. The barcode scanning device for a cylindrical secondary battery as described in claim 7, wherein the lighting is arranged on both sides of the barcode reader, and is arranged at a point closer to the first sub-mirror than the third sub-mirror along the extension direction of the barcode reader and the cylindrical secondary battery, and at a point closer to the second sub-mirror than the fourth sub-mirror along the extension direction of the barcode reader and the cylindrical secondary battery.

9. 6. The barcode scanning device for a cylindrical secondary battery according to claim 5, wherein each of the first sub-mirror, the second sub-mirror, the third sub-mirror, and the fourth sub-mirror is capable of individually adjusting an angle and a position so as to enable adjustment of an incident angle and a reflection angle.

10. A barcode scanning device for a cylindrical secondary battery described in any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a grip device that adjusts the angle and position of the sub-mirror so that the light irradiated through the sub-mirror is placed on the side of the cylindrical secondary battery.

Images