WIRELESS TAG READING APPARATUS

• US 20190026509A1
• Filed: 07/09/2018
• Published: 01/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: SAKURAI, Wataru
• Application Number:
  US16/030,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20190026509A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10435 the interrogation device being positioned close to a conveyor belt or the like on which moving record carriers are passing conveying in accordance with bodily destination marks, see B65G47/46, sorting of objects carrying identity markings, see B07C5/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10445 the record carriers being fixed to further objects, e.g. RFIDs fixed to packages, luggage, mail-pieces or work-pieces transported on a conveyor belt
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment

Abstract

A wireless tag reading apparatus includes a tunnel, an antenna, and a protrusion. The tunnel section is arranged to surround an upper portion of the lane of a part of a conveyance section for conveying an object to which a wireless tag is attached. The antenna is provided on an inner surface of the tunnel section, and is configured to radiate radio waves to read information stored in the wireless tag attached to the object that is being conveyed. The protrusion is provided at a part of a region on the inner surface of the tunnel section facing the antenna and projects from the region. The protrusion has a step portion facing a center of a surface of the antenna from which radio waves are radiated.

Claims

1. A wireless tag reading apparatus, comprising;

a tunnel section arranged to surround an upper portion of a part of a lane of a conveyance section for conveying an object to which a wireless tag is attached;

an antenna, provided on an inner surface of the tunnel section, configured to radiate radio waves to read information stored in the wireless tag attached to the object that is being conveyed; and

a protrusion, provided to a part of a region on the inner surface of the tunnel section facing the antenna, which projects from the region, wherein

the protrusion has a step portion facing a center of a surface of the antenna from which radio waves are radiated.

2. The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the antenna and the protrusion are provided on an inner side surfaces of the tunnel section.

3. The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is provided on an inner top surface of the tunnel section.

4. The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the antenna is provided on inner bottom surface of the tunnel section.

5. The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the conveyance section is provided between the antenna and the protrusion.

6. The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the tunnel section is made of a radio wave reflective material.

7. The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the protrusion is made of a radio wave reflective material.

8. The wireless tag reading apparatus according to:

claim 1, wherein

the step portion has a height enabling an area in which an electric field intensity is weakened by interference between radio waves radiated from the antenna and radio waves reflected by the inner surface of the tunnel section to be shifted.

9. The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the step portion has a height corresponding to a quarter wavelength of radio waves radiated from the antenna.

10. The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the step portion projects from the region on the inner surface of the tunnel section in a normal direction of the region.

11. The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the step portion obliquely projects from the region on the inner surface of the tunnel section.

12. The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the step portion obliquely projects in a straight form from the region on the inner surface of the tunnel section.

13. The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the step portion obliquely projects in a curved form from the region on the inner surface of the tunnel section.

14. The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tunnel section includes an entrance door at an entrance of the tunnel section and an exit door at an exit of the tunnel section, the entrance and exit doors arranged to close when a wireless tag is within the tunnel section.

15. The wireless tag reading apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the entrance and exit doors are one of double-doors or single shutter doors.