JP4901228B2 - Spectroscopic detector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a spectroscopic detection device that irradiates an object to be detected with excitation light and detects the light emission. The present invention relates to a spectroscopic detection device for discrimination.

  Conventionally, as a spectroscopic detection device, excitation light is applied to a stamp such as a stamp attached to a mail piece, and the emitted light is split into red light and green light, and the corresponding light is received. There is known a stamp detection device that receives and processes each light by a container (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this stamp detection device, for example, a red stamp is detected to determine an express mail.

However, this type of stamp detection device requires a plurality of optical members that respectively transmit the two separated light beams and a processing circuit that processes each of the light components. There is a problem of increasing the size.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-6885 (FIG. 1)

  An object of the present invention is to provide a spectroscopic detection device that can selectively detect light in different wavelength bands using a single detection unit, reduce the device cost, and reduce the size of the device.

In order to achieve the above object, the first aspect of the present invention includes a first detection target including a light-emitting substance that emits phosphorescence or fluorescence in the first wavelength band when irradiated with excitation light . of the medium, and the transport path and, the transport for transporting the second medium having a second detection object including a light-emitting substance that emits phosphorescence or fluorescence of a different second wavelength band from said first wavelength band A light source for irradiating the first and second detection objects of the first and second media conveyed through the path with excitation light, and the irradiation of the excitation light by the light source , the first and second a single detector for detecting the intensity of light emitted from the light-emitting substance of the detection object, is provided between the conveyance path and the detection unit, the light emitting from the light emitting material of the first and second detection target It has been in the first and second wavelength band that passes through one of the light A filter to reduce than other strong degree degrees, whether or not the detected object based on the intensity of light detected by the detecting section through the filter is the first or the second object to be detected ; and a discrimination unit for discriminating for.

  According to the above invention, the light emitted from the detection target is detected by the single detection unit via the filter that selectively reduces the light intensity in the specific wavelength band, and the detection target is detected based on the detected light intensity. I decided to distinguish. For this reason, for example, an optical member for transmitting two separate light beams and a processing circuit for processing the two light beams are not required, the device configuration can be simplified, the device cost can be reduced, and the device can be downsized. it can.

  Since the spectroscopic detection device of the present invention has the configuration and operation as described above, it is possible to selectively detect light in different wavelength bands using one detection unit, to reduce the device cost, and to reduce the size of the device. Can be

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a mail processing apparatus 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as processing apparatus 10) provided with a spectral detection apparatus 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as detection apparatus 1) according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is. FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the detection apparatus 1.

  The detecting device 1 detects a fee stamp such as a stamp attached to a postal matter P (medium) to be processed. The processing device 10 stamps the postage stamps detected by the detection device 1 and arranges the direction of the postal matter P and accumulates them. In particular, the processing apparatus 10 equipped with the detection apparatus 1 of the present embodiment detects a fee amount indicator that emits light, that is, a phosphorescent stamp or a pre-printed phosphorescent bar, detects its emission color, and express mail. Sort into ordinary mail.

  That is, the fee amount stamp affixed to ordinary mail includes a phosphorescent component having a characteristic of emitting visible light having a green spectral band. A phosphorescent component having a characteristic of emitting visible light having a red spectral band is included. For this reason, a mail piece in which green light emission is detected from the fee stamp can be discriminated as an ordinary mail piece, and a mail piece in which red light emission is detected can be discriminated as an express mail piece.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the processing device 10 has a transport path 2 that transports a postal matter P to be processed in the direction of arrow T, and has the detection devices 1 shown in FIG. 2 on both sides of the transport path 2. . Each detection device 1 detects a fee amount stamp given to the front side and a fee amount stamp given to the back side of the postal matter P conveyed through the conveyance path 2. Since the two detection devices 1 provided with the conveyance path 2 interposed therebetween have the same structure, only one detection device 1 will be described here.

  A forward / reverse portion 3 is provided in the middle of the transport path 2 on the downstream side of the detection device 1 along the transport direction T. The normal rotation / reversing unit 3 selectively reverses the postal matter P according to the position of the fee stamp detected by the detection device 1, and one side of the conveyance path 2 in the direction (width direction) crossing the conveyance direction ( The transport postures of all the postal items P are aligned so that the fee stamps are aligned on the lower end side.

  On the downstream side in the transport direction from the normal rotation / reversing unit 3, a postmarking unit 4 is provided for impressing a postage stamp aligned on one side in the width direction of the transport path 2 in the normal rotation / reversing unit 3. A sorting and accumulating unit 5 is provided at the end of the conveyance path 2 on the downstream side of the postmarking unit 4. The sorting and accumulating unit 5 sorts and collects ordinary mail items and express mail items according to the type of fee stamp detected by the detecting device 1, that is, the fee. In addition, the sorting / stacking unit 5 includes a plurality of stacking units that sort the postal matter P according to the shape and type of the postal matter P.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the detection apparatus 1 includes a housing 1 a having a front end face that is close to and opposed to the conveyance path 2. A light source 11 for irradiating excitation light (not shown) on a postage mark (not shown) of the postal matter P transported in the direction of arrow T in the figure via the transport path 2 is provided in the housing 1a. Excitation light from the light source 11 passes through the conveyance path 2 via an irradiation window 12 made of, for example, a glass plate provided on the front end surface of the housing 1a so as to face the conveyance path 2 at the irradiation position of the excitation light. Irradiation is applied to the charge amount stamp of the postal matter P to be conveyed.

  Further, a spectral filter in which light (excited phosphorescence in the present embodiment) excited from the postal matter P by irradiation of excitation light is disposed in the front surface of the housing 1a facing the conveyance path 2 in the housing 1a. A detection window 13 made of, for example, a glass plate is provided to guide the detection sensor 15 (detection unit) through 14 (filter). In the present embodiment, since the fee stamp as a detection object includes a phosphorescent component, after the fee stamp is irradiated with excitation light, the postal matter is transported from the irradiation position to the detection position, and phosphorescence is emitted at the detection position. The afterglow which a component light-emits will be detected. For this reason, the detection window 13 that guides the afterglow is provided at a position spaced downstream of the irradiation window 12 along the conveyance direction of the postal matter P.

  In addition, a case 11 a as a light shielding member is provided around the light source 11. The case 11a is provided at a position to block the excitation light so that the excitation light from the light source 11 does not interfere with light emission from the fee stamp. Thereby, the light emission from the fee stamp detected through the detection window 13 can be detected with a high S / N ratio.

  In addition, a sponge roller 16 (elastic) that rotates in a direction in which the postal matter P is transported while pressing the postal matter P against the irradiation window 12 and the detection window 13 at a position facing the front end surface of the housing 1a across the transport path 2. Roller). The sponge roller 16 is disposed between the irradiation window 12 and the detection window 13 and has an axial length that at least exceeds the detection region length along the width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the detection window 13. That is, by arranging the sponge roller 16 having a length exceeding the detection area between the irradiation window 12 and the detection window 13 so as to be pressed against the front end surface of the housing 1a, the detection window is passed from the irradiation window 12 through the conveyance path 2. Excitation light that wraps around can be shielded.

  The spectral filter 14 provided between the detection window 13 and the detection sensor 15 has, for example, a light transmission characteristic A as shown by a thick line in FIG. 3, and selectively selects the intensity of light in a specific wavelength band. It has the function of reducing In the present embodiment, since the fee stamp as the detection object handles ordinary mail items that emit green phosphorescence and express mail items that emit red phosphorescence, these two kinds of mail items can be discriminated. In addition, a spectral filter 14 having a characteristic of selectively reducing the intensity of red light in one wavelength band, for example, a spectral band having a relatively long wavelength, is attached.

  That is, the spectral filter 14 can be exchanged according to the emission wavelength band of the detection target, and a filter having characteristics suitable for the detection target is attached. For example, instead of the filter having the characteristic A shown in FIG. 3, it is possible to attach a spectral filter 14 having a transmission characteristic B that selectively reduces the intensity of green light as shown by a thick line in FIG. Express mail can be identified.

  Specifically, the determination unit 20 determines the type of the fee stamp by comparing the intensity of light emission from the fee stamp detected via the detection sensor 15 with a threshold value prepared in advance. It is determined whether it is ordinary mail or express mail. At this time, for example, when a filter having the transmission characteristic A shown in FIG. 3 is used as the spectral filter 14, ordinary mail items with a fee amount label emitting green light are conveyed through the conveying path 2. Then, since the intensity of the light detected through the detection sensor 15 does not decrease and exceeds the threshold value for determining a normal stamp, it can be determined that the postal item is a normal postal item. On the contrary, when the express mail with the fee stamp emitting red light is transported through the transport path 2, the intensity of the light detected through the detection sensor 15 is lowered and the normal stamp is removed. Since it falls below the threshold for discrimination, it can be discriminated that the postal matter is an express mail.

  In the above description, it is assumed that the emission intensity of the green light from the ordinary stamp before passing through the spectral filter 14 is substantially the same as the emission intensity of the red light from the express delivery stamp. Even if the intensities are different, it is possible to provide a more reliable discrimination criterion by providing the spectral filter 14 having the above-described characteristics. The threshold value of the light intensity for discriminating the above-mentioned ordinary stamp needs to be set to a value that can reliably distinguish the emission intensity of green light and the emission intensity of red light when the spectral filter 14 is used. is there.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the spectral filter 14 that selectively reduces the intensity of light in a specific wavelength band is simply disposed in front of the detection sensor 15, and the single detection sensor 15 can be used. It is possible to easily discriminate between different kinds of fee stamps, simplify the device configuration, reduce the device cost, and reduce the size of the device.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, you may delete some components from all the components shown by embodiment mentioned above.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case of discriminating two types of fee stamps has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and by implementing the present invention, fee stamps having three or more different emission colors are discriminated. You can also In this case, for example, a spectral filter having light transmission characteristics as shown in FIG. 5 may be disposed in front of the detection sensor 15.

  In the above-described embodiment, the inspection target is discriminated by detecting light transmitted through the spectral filter 14 that reduces the intensity of light in the specific wavelength band and comparing it with a threshold value specific to the detection target. Although the case has been described, in addition to this discrimination criterion, the image information of the inspection object may be acquired by the discrimination unit 20 and used for discrimination of the fee stamp. In this case, since the phosphorescent substance contained in the fee stamp is contained in a frame shape along the peripheral portion of the fee stamp, phosphorescence from this frame-shaped region may be detected.

  In the above-described embodiment, the detection method when the inspection target includes a phosphorescent substance has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is applied even when the detection target includes a fluorescent substance. Thus, the inspection object can be detected. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, an excitation light irradiation window and a fluorescence detection window are formed by a single glass plate 30, and a structure for simultaneously detecting fluorescence emitted by excitation light irradiation is employed. That's fine.

  Furthermore, although the spectral filter 14 is provided only in front of the detection sensor 15 in the above-described embodiment, an optical filter may be attached to the irradiation window 12 that irradiates the detection target with excitation light. In this case, the excitation efficiency can be increased by attaching an optical filter that transmits only light in a wavelength band effective for excitation of the detection target.

Schematic which shows the mail processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a spectroscopic detection device incorporated in the processing apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating transmission characteristics of a spectral filter attached to the detection device of FIG. 2. The diagram which shows the transmission characteristic of the other Example of a spectral filter. The diagram which shows the example of the spectral filter which has the characteristic which reduces the intensity | strength of the light to permeate | transmit in three steps. Schematic which shows the example of the detection apparatus which processes the detection target object containing a fluorescent substance.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Spectroscopic detection apparatus, 2 ... Conveyance path, 3 ... Forward / reversing part, 4 ... Postmarking part, 5 ... Sorting and collecting part, 10 ... Mail processing apparatus, 11 ... Light source, 12 ... Irradiation window, 13 ... Detection window , 14 ... Spectral filter, 15 ... Detection sensor, 16 ... Sponge roller, 20 ... Discrimination unit, 21 ..., 22 ..., 23 ..., 24 ..., 25 ..., 26 ..., 27 ..., 28 ..., 29 ..., 30 ... .

Claims (5)

When irradiated with excitation light , a first medium having a first detection object including a phosphorescent substance or a phosphorescent substance emitting fluorescence in the first wavelength band , and a second medium different from the first wavelength band . A transport path for transporting a second medium having a second detection target including a phosphorescent material or a phosphorescent material that emits fluorescence in the wavelength band of
A light source for irradiating excitation light to the first and second detection objects of the first and second media conveyed through the conveyance path;
A single detector for detecting the intensity of light emitted from the luminescent material of the first and second detection objects by irradiation of excitation light from the light source ;
Provided between the conveyance path and the detection unit, one of the strengths of the first and second detection target object light of the first and second wavelength band transmitted is emitted from the light emitting substance a filter to reduce than other strong degree,
Through the filter, characterized by comprising a determining unit for determining whether a detection target of the first or the second detection object based on the intensity of light detected by the detector Spectroscopic detection device. The spectroscopic detection device according to claim 1, wherein the detection position of the light emission in the detection unit is downstream of the irradiation position of the excitation light from the light source in the medium transport direction . An irradiation window provided at the irradiation position facing the conveyance path;
A detection window provided at the detection position facing the transport path downstream of the irradiation window in the medium transport direction;
The spectroscopic detection apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising: a light shielding member that shields excitation light from the light source so as not to interfere with the light emission. Provided between the irradiation window and the detection window and on the opposite side of the irradiation window and the detection window across the conveyance path, while pressing the medium conveyed through the conveyance path against the irradiation window and the detection window The spectroscopic detection apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising an elastic roller that rotates in a conveyance direction.   The spectroscopic detection device according to claim 1, wherein the filter is attached so as to be replaceable according to a type of a detection target.

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