TWI895177B - Adjustable sensing rack and adjustable sensing rack set - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an adjustable sensing rack, which includes two sensing bases and a plurality of adjustable boards. Each of the sensing bases includes a plurality of clamping slots, a plurality of receiving slots, a plurality of sensing mechanisms and a plurality of displaying components. Each of the sensing mechanisms includes a light sensing component and a light blocking component. The light sensing component includes a light emitting component and a light receiving component. The light blocking component is disposed in each of the receiving slots, and can be moved between the light emitting component and the light receiving component. Each of the displaying components is used for displaying whether a light of the light emitting component entering or not entering the light receiving component. Each of the adjustable boards is detachably engaged with the clamping slots of the sensing bases. Therefore, the adjustable sensing rack of the present disclosure can have high detecting accuracy during containing various kinds of stuffs.

Description

Adjustable sensor rack and adjustable sensor rack set

The present invention relates to an adjustable induction rack and an adjustable induction rack assembly, and in particular to an adjustable induction rack and an adjustable induction rack assembly capable of placing items of different sizes.

Shelves are widely used in various aspects of life, and many higher-end sensor racks have sensors that detect the status of items they hold. For example, in many industrial processes, sensor racks are often used to store raw material rolls, making it easier to place and retrieve rolls and reducing the possibility of misplacement. However, in addition to industrial applications, sensor racks can also be used in daily life to store items such as books, merchandise, and medications. Sensor racks are often equipped with infrared detection functions to detect whether items are placed on the rack and the type of items placed.

It's common knowledge that sensor racks equipped with infrared detection work by using items placed inside to block infrared light, prompting the rack's electronic system to generate corresponding prompts, such as flashing lights or sounds, to remind users whether items have been properly placed in and out, and whether they've been placed in the correct location. However, if the items are translucent, infrared light can easily penetrate them, making it easy for the detection system to generate prompts that differ from the actual status. In practice, this not only requires unnecessary manpower and time to re-verify the status of items, but can also lead to various negative consequences if items or materials are misused.

In addition, since the lengths or widths of various items may vary, a fixed size sensor rack cannot fully accommodate items of different sizes. Therefore, the sensor rack needs to be manufactured in various sizes, which increases manufacturing costs.

In view of this, how to design a device that can accommodate various items with high detection accuracy and adjust the placement size according to the size of the items has become the goal of relevant industries.

One objective of the present invention is to provide an adjustable sensor rack and an adjustable sensor rack assembly. By emitting corresponding signals through a sensor mechanism when an item is placed or removed, high detection accuracy is achieved. The position and number of adjustable shelves can be adjusted according to the size of the item, thereby expanding the application range and reducing manufacturing costs.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, an adjustable sensor rack is provided, comprising two sensor bases and a plurality of adjustable partitions. The two sensor bases are positioned opposite each other, and each sensor base comprises a plurality of snap-in slots, a plurality of receiving slots, a plurality of sensing mechanisms, and a plurality of display elements. The snap-in slots are spaced apart, with the receiving slots positioned at one end away from the snap-in slots, and each receiving slot is located between two adjacent snap-in slots. A sensing mechanism is positioned in each receiving slot, each sensing mechanism comprising a light sensing assembly and a light shielding element. The light sensing assembly includes a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, which are positioned opposite each other. A light-shielding element is positioned within each receiving slot and can be displaced between the two elements by force, thereby controlling whether a beam of light from the light-emitting element enters the light-receiving element. Each display element is electrically connected to the light-receiving element of each sensing mechanism and is used to indicate whether light from the light-emitting element has entered the light-receiving element. Each adjustable partition has a snap-fitting portion at each end, which removably snaps into each snap-fitting slot of each sensing base.

According to the adjustable sensor rack described in the previous paragraph, each sensor base may further include a positioning member disposed between the engaging slot and the receiving slot. The positioning member has a plurality of through holes, and each through hole corresponds to each receiving slot.

According to the adjustable sensor rack described in the previous paragraph, the light emitting element and the light receiving element of each sensing mechanism can be respectively disposed on two sides of each through hole.

According to the adjustable sensor rack described in the previous paragraph, each receiving slot may include a pivot shaft, and the light shielding element of each sensing mechanism has one end away from the positioning member connected to the pivot shaft of each receiving slot, while the other end passes through each through hole.

According to the adjustable induction storage rack described in the previous paragraph, a storage space can be formed between any two adjacent adjustable partitions.

According to the adjustable inductive rack described in the preceding paragraph, each adjustable partition may have at least one coupling portion disposed on a side of each adjustable partition away from the inductive base.

The adjustable sensor rack described in the preceding paragraph may further include a partition connected to the joint portion of the adjustable partition.

According to the adjustable sensor rack described in the previous paragraph, the light can be infrared light.

According to the adjustable sensor rack described in the previous paragraph, the display element can be a three-primary color LED module.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, an adjustable inductive rack assembly is provided, comprising at least two of the aforementioned adjustable inductive racks and a connecting support member, wherein the connecting support member connects and supports the adjustable inductive racks.

Thus, the adjustable sensor rack and adjustable sensor rack assembly of the present invention can achieve high detection accuracy when accommodating items of various sizes through the provision of the sensing mechanism and the adjustable partition, thereby expanding the application level.

The following describes embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. For clarity, numerous practical details are included in the following description. However, the reader should understand that these practical details should not be construed as limiting the present invention. In other words, these practical details are not essential to some embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, to simplify the drawings, some commonly used structures and components are depicted in simplified schematic form; and duplicate components may be denoted by the same reference numerals.

Please refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic perspective view of an adjustable sensor rack 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the adjustable sensor rack 100 comprises two sensor bases 200 and a plurality of adjustable partitions 300. The two sensor bases 200 are positioned opposite each other, and each adjustable partition 300 is detachably connected to the two sensor bases 200 at both ends to accommodate an object A. Specifically, the object A may be various items such as industrial material rolls, books, and optical discs, but the present invention is not limited to this disclosure.

Please refer to Figures 2A, 2B, and 2C. Figure 2A is a schematic perspective view of the sensor base 200 according to the first embodiment of Figure 1, Figure 2B is an exploded view of the sensor base 200 according to the first embodiment of Figure 1, and Figure 2C is a schematic cross-sectional view of the sensor base 200 according to the first embodiment of Figure 1. As shown in Figures 2A to 2C, the sensor base 200 includes a plurality of engaging slots 210, a plurality of receiving slots 220, a plurality of sensing mechanisms 230, and a plurality of display elements 240.

Specifically, the engaging slots 210 are spaced apart, while the receiving slots 220 are located at one end away from the engaging slots 210, with each receiving slot 220 positioned between two adjacent engaging slots 210. A sensing mechanism 230 is disposed in a corresponding receiving slot 220, each comprising a light sensing component 231 and a light shielding element 232. The light sensing component 231 comprises a light emitting element 2311 and a light receiving element 2312, with the light emitting element 2311 and the light receiving element 2312 positioned opposite each other. A light shielding element 232 is disposed in each receiving slot 220 and can be displaced between the light emitting element 2311 and the light receiving element 2312 by force, thereby controlling whether light from the light emitting element 2311 enters the light receiving element 2312. Each display element 240 is electrically connected to the light receiving element 2312 of each sensing mechanism 230 and is used to indicate whether light from the light emitting element 2311 has entered the light receiving element 2312.

In addition, as shown in Figures 2B and 2C, the sensor base 200 may further include a positioning member 250 disposed between the engaging slot 210 and the receiving slot 220. The positioning member 250 has a plurality of through-holes 251, with each through-hole 251 corresponding to each receiving slot 220. Furthermore, each receiving slot 220 includes a pivot 221, and the light shielding element 232 of each sensing mechanism 230 is connected to the pivot 221 at one end away from the positioning member 250, while the other end passes through the through-hole 251. The light emitting element 2311 and the light receiving element 2312 of each sensing mechanism 230 are respectively disposed on either side of each through-hole 251. From the perspective of Figure 2B, the light emitting element 2311 is located on the left side of the through-hole 251, and the light receiving element 2312 is located on the right side of the through-hole 251. The light emitted by the light emitting element 2311 may be infrared light, but the relative positions of the light emitting element 2311 and the light receiving element 2312 and the type of light emitted by the light emitting element 2311 are not limited to this disclosed content.

Please refer to Figures 3A and 3B , wherein Figure 3A illustrates the operation of the adjustable partition 300 according to the first embodiment of Figure 1 , and Figure 3B illustrates another operation of the adjustable partition 300 according to the first embodiment of Figure 1 . As shown in Figures 1 , 3A , and 3B , each adjustable partition 300 is provided with a snap-fit portion 310 at each end, and the snap-fit portion 310 is removably snapped into each snap-fit slot 210 of each sensor base 200 . A storage space 320 is formed between any two adjacent adjustable partitions 300 , and the number of adjustable partitions 300 can be adjusted according to the width of the object A, thereby increasing or decreasing the storage space 320. Furthermore, the adjustable sensor rack 100 may further include a divider 110, and each adjustable partition 300 has at least one coupling portion 330 disposed on a side of the adjustable partition 300 facing away from the sensor base 200. This allows the divider 110 to connect to the coupling portion 330 of the adjustable partition 300. However, the number and position of the coupling portions 330 of the adjustable partition 300 are not limited to this disclosure. In other embodiments, each adjustable partition may have multiple coupling portions, allowing the position of the divider coupling portion to be adjusted based on the length or size of the items, as described in detail below.

In this way, when object A is placed into the storage space 320, the light shielding element 232 will be driven to move between the light emitting element 2311 and the light receiving element 2312. When light enters or does not enter the light receiving element 2312, the display element 240 will receive a signal from the light receiving element 2312 to indicate whether object A is placed or correctly placed, so that the operator can confirm the placement status of object A. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2B , the display element 240 can be disposed on the positioning element 250. When the end of the light shielding element 232 that is away from the positioning element 250 is subjected to force, thereby blocking the light emitted by the light emitting element 2311 toward the light receiving element 2312, the light receiving element 2312 will send a signal, causing the display element 240 to send a prompt signal representing "object A is placed and correctly placed in the storage space 320". Conversely, when the light When the end of the shielding element 232 away from the positioning member 250 is not subjected to force and the light emitted by the light emitting element 2311 to the light receiving element 2312 is not blocked, the light receiving element 2312 will send another signal, causing the display element 240 to send a prompt signal indicating that "object A is not placed or is not placed correctly in the accommodating space 320". The display element 240 can be a three-primary color LED module, but the present invention is not limited to this disclosure.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2B , in order to make the prompt signal emitted by the display element 240 more easily observable, a plurality of display holes 260 may be provided on the side wall of the sensor base 200. Each display hole 260 corresponds to each display element 240, allowing the operator to directly and clearly observe the prompt signal emitted by the display element 240, thereby facilitating subsequent response actions. A transparent cover 270 may also be provided to protect the display element 240 from damage. The prompt signal may be, but is not limited to, a bright light, a dimmed light, or a flashing light, and may be provided in combination with a sound-generating element such as a buzzer to provide a prompt in the form of a sound. However, the present invention is not limited to this disclosure.

Please refer to FIG. 4 , which is a schematic perspective view of an adjustable sensor rack 400 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4 , in the second embodiment, the structure and configuration of the sensor base 500, adjustable partition 600, and divider 410 of the adjustable sensor rack 400 are the same or similar to the sensor base 200, adjustable partition 300, and divider 110 of the adjustable sensor rack 100 in the first embodiment, and are not further described here. Specifically, in the second embodiment, the number and placement of the coupling portions 630 of the adjustable partition 600 differ from those of the first embodiment. Depending on the size of the item B, the divider 410 can be connected to the appropriate coupling portion 630 to accommodate the item B in the storage space 620.

Please refer to Figure 5, which is a schematic perspective view of an adjustable sensor rack assembly 700 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 5, the adjustable sensor rack assembly 700 includes at least two adjustable sensor racks 710 and a connecting support 720 that connects and supports the adjustable sensor racks 710. Specifically, the technical details of the adjustable sensor racks 710 used in the third embodiment are the same or similar to the technical details of the adjustable sensor rack 100 of the first embodiment shown in Figure 1 and are not further described here.

More specifically, although in the third embodiment, the adjustable inductive racks 710 supported by the connecting support 720 are arranged in three layers, with five adjustable inductive racks 710 on each layer, the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the number of layers of adjustable inductive racks supported by the connecting support and the number of adjustable inductive racks on each layer can be adjusted according to actual usage requirements. Thus, when an operator needs to store a large number of items or raw materials, they can connect the adjustable inductive racks 710 of the present invention in series or in parallel via the connecting support 720 to obtain the adjustable inductive rack assembly 700 of the present invention, thereby obtaining more storage space.

In summary, the adjustable sensor rack and adjustable sensor rack assembly of the present invention utilize the weight of an object to exert pressure on a light-blocking element, causing the light-blocking element to block or not block the light emitted by the light-emitting element. This pressure serves as a basis for determining whether an object is placed in the adjustable sensor rack's storage space. This effectively prevents the learning sensor rack from erroneously actuating when transparent or translucent objects are placed, reducing labor and time losses, and avoiding industrial or commercial losses. Furthermore, the adjustable sensor rack and adjustable sensor rack assembly of the present invention can accommodate objects of varying sizes using removable and adjustable partitions and dividers, finding wide application in various fields.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of embodiments as described above, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be determined by the scope of the attached patent application.

100, 400, 710: Adjustable sensor rack 110, 410: Divider 200, 500: Sensor base 210: Snap-fit slot 220: Receiving slot 221: Pivot 230: Sensing mechanism 231: Light sensing assembly 2311: Light emitting element 2312: Light receiving element 232: Light shielding element 240: Display element 250: Positioning element 251: Perforation 260: Display aperture 270: Transparent cover 300, 600: Adjustable divider 310: Snap-fit portion 320, 620: Receiving space 330, 630: Joint 700: Adjustable sensor rack assembly 720: Connecting support A, B: Item

To make the above and other objects, features, advantages, and embodiments of the present invention more clearly understood, the accompanying drawings are described as follows: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an adjustable inductive storage rack according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2A is a schematic perspective view of the inductive base according to the first embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 2B is a schematic exploded view of the inductive base according to the first embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 2C is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inductive base according to the first embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 3A is a schematic view of the operation of the adjustable partition according to the first embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 3B is a schematic view of another operation of the adjustable partition according to the first embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the adjustable inductive storage rack according to the second embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 5 is a schematic three-dimensional diagram of the adjustable sensor storage rack assembly according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

100: Adjustable sensor shelf

110: Separator

200: Sensor body

210: Snap-in slot

300: Adjustable partitions

320: Storage space

A: Items

Claims (10)

An adjustable sensor rack comprises: Two sensor bases disposed opposite each other, each of the two sensor bases comprising: A plurality of snap-in slots spaced apart; A plurality of receiving slots disposed at one end distal from the snap-in slots, with each receiving slot located between two adjacent snap-in slots; A plurality of sensing mechanisms disposed in a corresponding position in each receiving slot, each sensing mechanism comprising: A light sensing assembly comprising a light emitting element and a light receiving element, the light emitting element and the light receiving element disposed opposite each other; and A light shielding element disposed in each of the receiving slots and capable of being displaced by force between the light emitting element and the light receiving element to control whether a light beam from the light emitting element enters the light receiving element; and A plurality of display elements, each electrically connected to the light receiving element of each of the sensing mechanisms and configured to indicate whether the light beam from the light emitting element has entered the light receiving element; and A plurality of adjustable partitions, each having a snap-fitting portion at each end thereof, the snap-fitting portion being removably snap-fitted to each of the snap-fitting slots of each of the two sensing bases. The adjustable sensor rack of claim 1, wherein each of the two sensor bases further comprises: A positioning member disposed between the engaging slots and the receiving slots, the positioning member having a plurality of through-holes, each of the through-holes corresponding to each of the receiving slots. As described in claim 2, the adjustable sensing rack, wherein the light emitting element and the light receiving element of each of the sensing mechanisms are respectively disposed on two sides of each of the through holes. As described in claim 2, the adjustable sensing rack, wherein each of the accommodating slots includes a pivot shaft, and the light shielding element of each of the sensing mechanisms is connected to the pivot shaft of each of the accommodating slots at one end away from the positioning member, while the other end passes through each of the through holes. The adjustable induction storage rack as described in claim 1, wherein a storage space is formed between any two adjacent adjustable partitions. As described in claim 1, the adjustable inductive storage rack, wherein each of the adjustable partitions has at least one coupling portion, which is arranged on one side of each of the adjustable partitions away from the two inductive base bodies. The adjustable sensor storage rack of claim 6 further comprises: A divider connected to at least one of the joints of the adjustable partitions. An adjustable sensor rack as described in claim 1, wherein the light is infrared light. An adjustable sensor storage rack as described in claim 1, wherein the display elements are three-primary-color LED modules. An adjustable inductive storage rack assembly comprising: At least two adjustable inductive storage racks according to any one of claims 1 to 9; and A connecting support member connecting and supporting the at least two adjustable inductive storage racks.