DATA PROCESSING AND CHARGING APPARATUS FOR WIRELESS IC TAGS

• US 20120098648A1
• Filed: 07/23/2010
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitomo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitomo Corporation
• Inventors: Kaga, Kikuo, Ashizawa, Shigeo
• Granted Patent: US 8,405,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.51
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/06 Guiding cards; Checking correct operation of card-conveying mechanisms

Abstract

The present invention provides a data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags, which can align wireless IC tags in a given direction to supply/feed them to a data writing/reading unit, can eliminate information writing errors and reading errors, can be placed to a desired place being distant from the mixing/kneading tank for receiving the object to be charged with wireless IC tags, and can securely charge wireless IC tags to the object to be charged without causing blockade at the charging inlet.

The data processing and charging apparatus 10 for wireless IC tags according to this invention includes a vibration/alignment unit 15 for aligning wireless IC tags in the same direction by applying vibrating force, a distribution unit 16 for distributing the fed wireless IC tags in the aligned state to plural passages, a radio communication unit 17 for performing data writing and/or reading to/from the distributed wireless IC tags through radio communication, and a wireless IC tag charging unit 20 for charging the wireless IC tags to/from which data writing and/or reading has been done to the object to be charged with wireless IC tags by applying air pressure.

Claims

1. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags characterized by including a vibration/alignment unit for aligning wireless IC tags in the same direction by applying vibrating force to the wireless IC tags, a distribution unit for distributing the wireless IC tags having been fed in an aligned state to plural passages, a radio communication unit for performing data writing and/or reading to/from the distributed wireless IC tags through radio communication, and a wireless IC tag charging unit for charging the wireless IC tags to/from which data has been written/read to an object to be charged with wireless IC tags by applying air pressure.

2. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein the object to be charged with wireless IC tags is a material which can retain the state of liquid, viscous or semisolid and received in a mixing/kneading tank.

3. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein the object to be charged with wireless IC tags is unhardened concrete prepared by mixing/kneading cement, water and aggregate and received in a mixing/kneading tank.

4. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein said vibration/alignment unit includes a concave disc for receiving wireless IC tags, a round-shaped feeding path being formed on the periphery of the disc, and a vibration-applying drive member for vibrating the disc and the round-shaped feeding path, and said round-shaped feeding path includes at the one end an IC tag intake connecting to the disc and at the other end an evacuation outlet connecting to an IC tag chute.

5. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 4,

wherein the IC tag dropping chute is disposed between the evacuation outlet of the vibration/alignment unit and the distribution unit to connect said evacuation outlet and said distribution unit, said chute is provided with a stopper for temporarily stopping the wireless IC tags dropping through said chute and a sensor for detecting the temporary stop of the wireless IC tags, and said stopper is released in response to a detection signal from said sensor to thereby feed the wireless IC tags one by one to the distribution unit.

6. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 4,

wherein a measuring means for counting the number of wireless IC tags passing through the IC tag dropping chute is provided to the IC tag dropping chute.

7. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 4,

wherein the distribution unit includes a first slider including at least one passage capable of aligning with the IC tag dropping chute, a second slider including plural passages capable of aligning with the passage of the first slider, and a cylinder unit for moving the first and second sliders being in the folded state, and any one of the passages of the respective sliders is respectively connected to each other by virtue of the relative movement of the first and second sliders in the folded state, while all other passages are blocked.

8. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein a passage block including plural IC tag passages and disposed at a level lower than the level of the distribution unit, and a passage opening/closing unit for opening/closing the IC tag passage and disposed at a level lower than the level of the passage block are further included in the apparatus,

said radio communication unit is disposed to every passages of the passage block so that it opposes to the passage block, and data writing or reading to wireless IC tags which have stopped in the passage of the passage block is performed by the passage opening/closing unit.

9. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 8,

wherein a defective evacuation unit disposed at a level lower than the level of the passage opening/closing unit and is operated in response to a signal from a defective detection section for detecting defective wireless IC tags is further included in the apparatus.

10. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 9,

wherein the defective evacuation unit includes a defective evacuation member capable of sliding and provided with a defective dropping pore and normal tag feeding passage, and a sliding drive section of the defective evacuation member to operate in response to a signal from the defective detection section.

11. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein the wireless IC tag charging unit is disposed at a level lower than the level of the IC tag reception passage, which connects to the normal tag feeding path of the defective evacuation member, and includes a cutting member provided with IC tag receiving concaves and capable of sliding, and a pressured air feeding/evacuating section disposed so as to be laterally distant from the position of the IC tag reception passage, said cutting member is driven to slide so that the IC tag receiving concaves reciprocate between the position of the IC tag reception passage and the position of the pressured air feeding/evacuating section, and the wireless IC tags in the receiving concaves are charged by applying pressured air at the position of the pressured air feeding/evacuating section.

12. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 11,

wherein a hose for charging the wireless IC tags is connected to the pressured air feeding/evacuating section.

13. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein a remotely-operable apparatus-actuating power source is further included, and monitoring of the operation status of the apparatus via Internet system is made feasible.

14. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 13,

wherein the apparatus-actuating power source is remotely operated by an input of a touch panel board ID.

15. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein the radio communication unit is a non-contact type radio communication unit which is electrically connected with a database in a wired or a wireless manner, outputs radio waves of a preset frequency band to carry out radio communication to antenna sections of the wireless IC tags, thereby writing product information data being stored in said database to the wireless IC tags.

16. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein said radio communication unit is a radio communication unit, which includes a ferroelectric memory by mounting it on a substrate, said ferroelectric memory uses a ferroelectric including a power source section for receiving radio waves from the radio communication unit, then resonating with those radio waves to generate current and an antenna section for carrying out radio communication at a preset frequency band, and which outputs radio waves of a communication frequency band for wireless IC tags to the wireless IC tags, in which the data are stored in the ferroelectric memory.

17. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein the wireless IC tag has a bale-like shape being symmetric relative to the axis line and capable of freely rolling, and data writing or reading to/from the wireless IC tag is carried out from the direction of opposing to the end face of said bale-like shape.

18. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein the vibration/alignment unit is configured so that it includes an opening whereto a cartridge prepared by receiving the wireless IC tags inside can be mounted in an attachable/detachable manner.

19. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 2,

wherein said vibration/alignment unit includes a concave disc for receiving wireless IC tags, a round-shaped feeding path being formed on the periphery of the disc, and a vibration-applying drive member for vibrating the disc and the round-shaped feeding path, and said round-shaped feeding path includes at the one end an IC tag intake connecting to the disc and at the other end an evacuation outlet connecting to an IC tag chute.

20. A data processing and charging apparatus for wireless IC tags according to claim 3,

wherein said vibration/alignment unit includes a concave disc for receiving wireless IC tags, a round-shaped feeding path being formed on the periphery of the disc, and a vibration-applying drive member for vibrating the disc and the round-shaped feeding path, and said round-shaped feeding path includes at the one end an IC tag intake connecting to the disc and at the other end an evacuation outlet connecting to an IC tag chute.