JPH063461A - Detector for phosphor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect a phosphor accurately independently of the condition of an object to be detected. CONSTITUTION:An illuminator 24 and a detector 25 are arranged in boxes 17 and 19 separately. Thus, it is so arranged that light passing through a gap as caused by irregularity or bending in an object 15 to be detected is kept from reaching the detector 25 from the irradiator 24.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fluorescent substance detecting apparatus for detecting stamps of mail, for example.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been a remarkable progress in the technology of making the processing of postal items, which has been performed manually, into an apparatus. For example, in the process of processing a postal matter, there is a work to put a postmark on a stamp attached to the postal matter, but there is a device that automatically does this without manual labor. This device emits a stamp containing a fluorescent substance, detects the stamp, and stamps a postmark stamp based on the detection result.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a conventional device for detecting a stamp containing such a phosphor. In the figure,
Reference numeral 1 denotes a conveyor belt for conveying the postal matter 2, and a detection device 3 is arranged at a predetermined position on the conveyor belt 1.

The detection device 3 conveys to the mail 2 conveyed by the conveyor belt 1 a casing 6 having an excitation window 4 and a detection window 5 and a side of the casing 6 opposite the windows 4 and 5. The light shielding plate 7 arranged via the belt 1.

In the housing 6, an ultraviolet lamp 8 for irradiating ultraviolet rays toward the mail 2 conveyed by the conveyor belt 1 through the excitation window 4 and the conveyor belt 1 through the detection window 5. A light receiving element 9 for detecting light emission from the postal matter 2, an amplifier 10, and a binarization circuit 11 are arranged.

Further, the light shielding plate 7 is provided with a brush 12 which divides the windows 4 and 5 from each other and prevents external light from entering through the windows 4 and 5.

Then, when the postal matter 2 conveyed by the conveyor belt 1 reaches the position of the excitation window 4, the ultraviolet lamp 8 irradiates it with ultraviolet rays, and it is included in the stamp 13 attached to the postal matter 2 as shown in FIG. The phosphors being excited are excited.

After this, the postal matter 2 passes through the excitation window 4, but the phosphor contained in the stamp 13 attached to the postal matter 2 has afterglow even when the excitation is stopped.

Therefore, when the postal matter 2 reaches the position of the detection window 5, the light emission of the phosphor contained in the stamp 13 attached to the postal matter 2 is converted into an electric signal by the light receiving element 9,
This electric signal is amplified to an appropriate level by the amplifier 10, and the binarizing circuit 11 obtains a constant level of light emission output. That is, it is detected whether or not the stamp 13 is attached.

[0010] By the way, in the apparatus for performing such detection, it is necessary to provide a certain distance between the excitation window 4 and the detection window 5 in order to cut off the excitation temporally and mechanically.

However, the postal items are not necessarily flat ones, but as shown in FIG. 5, some postal items may have different thicknesses or may have corners or folds. As shown in FIG. 6, the ultraviolet light emitted from the excitation window 4 passes through the gap between the mail piece 2 and the housing 6 to reach the detection window 5, and as if there was a stamp having afterglow by the light receiving element 9 or the like. It will be detected.

In the mail processing machine, the postmark is stamped on the basis of the detection result of the light receiving element 9 and the like, so that the postmark is erroneously stamped, and the processing of the mail is hindered.

[0013]

As described above, in the conventional fluorescent substance detecting device, when the detected object has irregularities or is bent, the gap generated by the unevenness causes the fluorescent substance to be removed. There was a problem of false detection.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fluorescent substance detection apparatus capable of surely detecting a fluorescent substance regardless of the state of the substance to be detected.

[0015]

In order to solve such a problem, the present invention provides a fluorescent substance detecting device for detecting a fluorescent substance on a detected substance, wherein the detected substance is irradiated with light for exciting the fluorescent substance. The irradiation device and the detection device for detecting the phosphor on the object to be detected by receiving the afterglow of the phosphor excited by the irradiation device, and the irradiation device and the detection device are independent of each other. It is arranged in the housing.

A second aspect of the invention is a fluorescent substance detection apparatus for detecting a fluorescent substance on a detected substance, and an irradiation device for irradiating the detected substance with light for making the fluorescent substance an excited state, and an excited state by this irradiation device. A detector for detecting the phosphor on the object to be detected by receiving the afterglow of the fluorescent substance is placed in the same housing, and a recess is provided between the irradiation device and the detector on the housing surface. A light-shielding member that is provided and divides the space into two is disposed in the recess.

[0017]

In the present invention, the irradiating device and the detecting device are arranged in separate and independent housings, or a recess is provided between the irradiating device and the detecting device on the surface of the housing, and a space is provided in the recess. Since the light-shielding member for dividing is disposed, the light passing through the gap generated due to the unevenness or bending of the detection object does not reach the detection apparatus from the irradiation apparatus. Therefore, the light detected by the detection device is only the afterglow of the phosphor excited by the irradiation device. Therefore, the phosphor can be reliably detected regardless of the state of the detected substance.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a postage stamp detecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 14 is a conveyor belt for conveying the postal matter 15, and an excitation window 16 is provided at a predetermined position on the conveyor belt 14 toward the postal matter 15 conveyed by the conveyor belt 14. A first housing 17 having;
A second housing 19 having a detection window 18 is arranged toward the postal matter 15 conveyed by the conveyor belt 14.
Further, on the opposite sides of the windows 16 and 18 of the housings 17 and 19 via the conveyor belt 14, light shielding plates 20 and 21 are provided, respectively.
Are arranged, and brushes 22 and 23 are provided on the respective shading plates 20 and 21 so that light from the outside does not enter through the windows 16 and 18, respectively.

An ultraviolet lamp 24 for irradiating ultraviolet rays toward the mail 15 conveyed by the conveyor belt 14 through the excitation window 16 is arranged in the first housing 17.

In addition, the detection window 18 is provided in the second housing 19.
A light receiving element 25 for detecting the emission of light from the postal matter 15 conveyed by the conveyor belt 14 via
An amplifier 26 for amplifying the electric signal converted by the above to an appropriate level and a binarization circuit 27 for detecting whether a constant level light emission output is obtained are arranged.

Then, when the postal matter 15 conveyed by the conveyor belt 14 reaches the position of the excitation window 16 in the first housing 17, the ultraviolet ray is irradiated by the ultraviolet lamp 24 and included in the stamp attached to the postal matter 15. The phosphors being excited are excited.

Thereafter, the postal matter 15 passes through the excitation window 16 and the gap 28 between the first casing 17 and the second casing 19 is reached.
When passing through, the phosphor contained in the stamp attached to the postal matter 15 only has afterglow, and all other lights are scattered in this gap 28.

When the postal matter 15 comes to the position of the detection window 18 in the second casing 19, the light emission of the phosphor contained in the stamp attached to the postal matter 15 is converted into an electric signal by the light receiving element 25. The converted electric signal is amplified by the amplifier 26 to an appropriate level, and the binarization circuit 27 obtains a constant level of light emission output. That is, it is detected whether a stamp is attached.

As described above, in the detection apparatus of this embodiment, the ultraviolet lamp 24 for irradiating the postal matter 15 with ultraviolet rays and the light receiving element 25 for detecting the light emitting position of the light from the postal article 15 are independent of each other. The first and second casings 17,
Since the light is passed through the gap generated by the unevenness or bending of the mail piece 15, the light passing through the gap between the first case 17 and the second case 19 The light is not scattered at 28 and does not reach the light receiving element 25.
Therefore, the light detected by the light receiving element 25 is only the afterglow of the phosphor excited by the ultraviolet lamp 24. Therefore, it is possible to reliably detect the presence or absence of a fluorescent substance, that is, a stamp, regardless of the state of the mail piece 15.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.

In the detector of this embodiment, as shown in the figure, the ultraviolet lamp 24 and the light receiving element 25 are the same housing 3.
As described above, the concave portion 31 is provided between the ultraviolet lamp 24 and the light receiving element 25 on the surface of the housing 30, and the light shielding member 32 that divides the space into two is arranged in the concave portion 31. Different from the embodiment.

In this embodiment, the light passing through the gap generated by the unevenness or bending of the mail piece 15 is blocked in the concave portion 31 and does not reach the light receiving element 25. Therefore, as in the above-described embodiment, the presence or absence of a stamp can be reliably detected regardless of the state of the mail piece 15.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the presence or absence of stamps in postal items is detected, but the present invention can be applied to any device that detects the presence or absence of fluorescent substances in detected items.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, the irradiation device and the detection device are arranged in separate and independent housings, or a recess is provided between the irradiation device and the detection device on the surface of the housing. Since the light-shielding member which is provided and divides the space into two parts is arranged in the concave portion, the presence or absence of the fluorescent substance can be accurately and surely detected regardless of the state of the detected substance.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a postage stamp detecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a postage stamp detecting device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional postage stamp detecting device.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a mail item.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a mail item.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of a conventional postage stamp detecting device.

[Explanation of Codes] 14 ... Conveyor Belt, 15 ... Mail, 16 ... Excitation Window, 17
... first housing, 18 ... detection window, 19 ... second housing, 2
0, 21 ... Shading plate, 22, 23 ... Brush, 24 ... Ultraviolet lamp, 25 ... Photodetector, 26 ... Amplifier, 27 ... Binarization circuit, 28 ... Between first housing and second housing Gap.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A fluorescent substance detecting apparatus for detecting a fluorescent substance on a detected substance, wherein an irradiation device for irradiating the detected substance with light for causing the fluorescent substance to be in an excited state, and an irradiation state excited by the irradiation device. A detection device for detecting the phosphor on the detection object by receiving the afterglow of the phosphor, wherein the irradiation device and the detection device are arranged in separate housings, respectively. Fluorescent substance position detection device. 2. A fluorescent substance detecting device for detecting a fluorescent substance on a detected substance, and an irradiation device for irradiating the detected substance with light for causing the fluorescent substance to be in an excited state, and an irradiation device excited by the irradiation device. A detection device that detects the phosphor on the detection object by receiving the afterglow of the phosphor is disposed in the same housing, and between the irradiation device and the detection device on the housing surface,
A fluorescent substance detecting device, characterized in that a concave portion is provided and a light shielding member that divides a space into two is arranged in the concave portion.