Apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags

• US 8,405,493 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2010
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Corporation
• Inventors: Kaga, Kikuo, Ashizawa, Shigeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEHRAVARI, PETER CYRUS
• Application Number:
  US13/376,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20120098648A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.51, 340/905, 340/435, 340/438, 340/904, 340/933, 340/988, 222/196, 222/199, 222/197
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/06 Guiding cards; Checking correct operation of card-conveying mechanisms

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags in an object to be embedded with wireless IC tags. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags including: an alignment unit for aligning the wireless IC tags in the same direction by applying a vibrating force to the wireless IC tags; a distribution unit for distributing the wireless IC tags to a plurality of passages; a radio communication unit for performing, through radio communication, data writing and/or reading to/from the wireless IC tags; and a wireless IC tag embedding unit for embedding the wireless IC tags into an object to be embedded with wireless IC tags by applying air pressure to the wireless IC tags.

Claims

1. An apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags comprising:

an alignment unit for aligning the wireless IC tags in the same direction by applying a vibrating force to the wireless IC tags;

a distribution unit for distributing the wireless IC tags aligned by the alignment unit to a plurality of passages, the wireless IC tags aligned by the alignment unit having been fed from the alignment unit to the distribution unit;

a radio communication unit for performing, through radio communication, data writing and/or reading to/from the wireless IC tags distributed by the distribution unit to the plurality of passages; and

a wireless IC tag embedding unit for embedding the wireless IC tags to/from which data has been written/read into an object to be embedded with wireless IC tags by applying air pressure to the wireless IC tags to/from which data has been written/read.

2. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein the object to be embedded with wireless IC tags is (i) a material which can retain the state of liquid, viscous or semisolid and (ii) provided in a mixing/kneading tank prior to the wireless IC tags to/from which data has been written/read are embedded into the object to be embedded with wireless IC tags.

3. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 2,

wherein the alignment unit includes:

a concave disc for receiving the wireless IC tags;

a round-shaped feeding path being formed on the periphery of the concave disc;

a vibration-applying drive member for applying the vibrating force to the concave disc and the round-shaped feeding path, and

wherein the round-shaped feeding path includes (i) at one end of the round-shaped feeding path, an IC tag intake connecting to the concave disc and (ii) at the other end of the round-shaped feeding path, an evacuation outlet connecting to an IC tag dropping chute.

4. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein the object to be embedded with wireless IC tags is (i) unhardened concrete prepared by mixing/kneading cement, water and aggregate and (ii) provided in a mixing/kneading tank prior to the wireless IC tags to/from which data has been written/read are embedded into the object to be embedded with wireless IC tags.

5. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 4,

wherein the alignment unit includes:

a concave disc for receiving the wireless IC tags;

a round-shaped feeding path being formed on the periphery of the concave disc;

a vibration-applying drive member for applying the vibrating force to the concave disc and the round-shaped feeding path, and

wherein the round-shaped feeding path includes (i) at one end of the round-shaped feeding path, an IC tag intake connecting to the concave disc and (ii) at the other end of the round-shaped feeding path, an evacuation outlet connecting to an IC tag dropping chute.

6. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein the alignment unit includes:

a concave disc for receiving the wireless IC tags;

a round-shaped feeding path being formed on the periphery of the concave disc;

a vibration-applying drive member for applying the vibrating force to the concave disc and the round-shaped feeding path, and

wherein round-shaped feeding path includes (i) at one end of the round-shaped feeding path, an IC tag intake connecting to the concave disc and (ii) at the other end the round-shaped feeding path, an evacuation outlet connecting to an IC tag dropping chute.

7. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 6,

wherein the IC tag dropping chute is disposed between the evacuation outlet of the alignment unit and the distribution unit to connect the evacuation outlet and the distribution unit,

wherein the IC tag dropping chute is provided with (i) a stopper for temporarily stopping wireless IC tags dropping through the IC tag dropping chute and (ii) a sensor for detecting the temporary stop of the wireless IC tags, and

wherein the stopper is released in response to a detection signal from the sensor to thereby feed the temporary stopped wireless IC tags one by one to the distribution unit.

8. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 6,

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.

9. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 6,

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 a plurality of passages capable of aligning with the at least one passage of the first slider; and

a cylinder unit for moving the first slider and the second slider so that (i) the at least one passage of the first slider is aligned with any one of the plurality of passages of the second slider and (ii) the at least one passage of the first slider is not aligned with the remaining passages of the plurality of passage of the second slider.

10. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 1, further comprising:

a passage block including a plurality of IC tag passages; and

a passage opening/closing unit for opening/closing each of the plurality of IC tag passages,

wherein the passage block is disposed between the distribution unit and the wireless IC tag embedding unit,

wherein the passage opening/closing unit is disposed between the passage block and the wireless IC tag embedding unit,

wherein the radio communication unit is disposed relative to each of the plurality of IC tag passages of the passage so that the radio communication unit opposes the passage block, and

wherein the passage opening/closing unit stops wireless IC tags in the plurality of IC tag passages of the passage block so that data writing or reading to the wireless IC tags stopped in the plurality of IC tag passages of the passage block is performed by the radio communication unit.

11. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 10, further comprising

a defective evacuation unit disposed between the passage opening/closing unit and the IC wireless tag embedding unit, the defective evacuation unit including (i) a defective evacuation member capable of sliding, (ii) a defective dropping pore, (iii) normal tag feeding passage, and (iv) a sliding drive section for sliding the defective evacuation member,

wherein, when a signal is received from a defective detection section for detecting defective wireless IC tags, the sliding drive section slides the defective evacuation member so that the defective dropping pore is aligned with the plurality of IC tag passages of the passage block, and

wherein, when no signal is received from the defective detection section, the sliding drive section slides the defective evacuation member so that the normal tag feeding passage is aligned with the plurality of IC tag passages of the passage block.

12. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 11,

wherein the wireless IC tag embedding unit includes:

an IC tag reception passage connecting to the normal tag feeding passage of the defective evacuation member;

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,

wherein the 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

wherein wireless IC tags in the receiving concaves are embedded into the object to be embedded with wireless IC tags by applying pressured air at the position of the pressured air feeding/evacuating section.

13. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 12,

wherein a hose for embedding the wireless IC tags in the receiving concaves into the object to be embedded with wireless IC tags is connected to the pressured air feeding/evacuating section.

14. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 1, further comprising

a remotely-operable apparatus-actuating power source for connecting/disconnecting a power source to the apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags to control an operation status of the apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags so that the operation status of the apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags can be remotely operated.

15. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 14,

wherein, using the apparatus-actuating power source, the operation status of the apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags can be operated based on ID input from a touch panel device.

16. The apparatus for embedding 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,

wherein the radio communication unit 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 the database to the wireless IC tags.

17. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein each of the wireless IC tags includes a substrate and a wireless IC tag chip mounted on the substrate, and

wherein the wireless IC tag chip includes:

a power source section for receiving radio waves from the radio communication unit and resonating with those radio waves to generate current;

an antenna section for carrying out radio communication at a preset frequency band; and

a ferroelectric memory for storing data received during the radio communication at the preset frequency band.

18. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein each of the wireless IC tags (i) has a ball-like shape with a pair of convex end faces, (ii) is symmetric relative to an axis passing through the center of both of the pair of convex end faces and (iii) is capable of freely rolling, and

wherein radio communication for data writing or reading to/from each of the wireless IC tags is received from a direction opposing one of the pair of convex end faces.

19. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags according to claim 1,

wherein the alignment unit is configured so that it includes an opening into which a cartridge including the wireless IC tags can be attached.