Basket Antenna Mounting for Wireless Tag Reading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless tag readers attached to shopping carts face interference issues when metal commodities are stacked, causing radio waves to be blocked or reflected, leading to incomplete or failed tag information reading.
Innovation Solution
A wireless tag reader design featuring a body portion with an antenna and a holding portion that includes rotatable upper and lower plate parts with a biasing mechanism, allowing the antenna to be securely positioned at the upper edge of a basket, preventing interference from stacked commodities and ensuring reliable tag information reading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the wireless tag reader is attached to the bottom surface of the storage region, then it can read tag information from commodities placed in the shopping cart, but subsequently placed items may block the radio waves from reaching the wireless tag reader
Solution Approach 1:
The patent relocates the wireless tag reader from the bottom surface (horizontal dimension) to the upper edge region (vertical dimension) of the shopping cart. This dimensional change positions the reader above the commodity stack, allowing radio waves to propagate downward and outward without being blocked by stacked items, thereby resolving the signal blocking issue while maintaining reading reliability
2Ease of manufacture
If the wireless tag reader is detachably attached to the shopping cart, then it reduces the financial burden on the store, but the attachment structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic attachment mechanism where the holder can rotate between a storage position and a reading position. This dynamic feature allows the same structure to serve multiple functions: simple storage when not in use and active reading when needed, thereby reducing the need for multiple specialized components and simplifying the overall attachment structure while maintaining cost-effectiveness
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures reliable transmission and reception of radio waves to and from wireless tags, even when commodities are stacked, by positioning the antenna in a way that prevents blocking, thus improving the reading performance and reducing interference.
Implementation Method 1
an antenna (70) connected to the body portion; wherein the antenna transmits and receives radio waves to and from a wireless tag
Implementation Method 2
a biasing member between the upper and lower plate parts and by which one of the upper and lower plate parts is biased towards the other
Data Source
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AI summary
A wireless tag reader that is attachable to a basket used for storing an object to which a wireless tag is attached includes a body portion that houses a processor configured to read tag information stored in the wireless tag, an antenna extending from or included in the body portion and through which radio waves are transmitted to and received from the wireless tag, and a holding portion attachable to an upper edge part of the basket and including an upper plate part rotatably connected to the body portion, a lower plate part facing the upper plate part, and a biasing member between the upper and lower plate parts and by which one of the upper and lower plate parts is biased towards the other while the upper edge part is sandwiched by the upper and lower plate parts.