JP7580313B2 - Information reading set, information reading device and expansion module - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information reading set, an information reading device, and an expansion module.

There is known an optical information reading device called a code reader, which receives light from a mark called a code or symbol (hereafter referred to as a "code") such as a barcode or QR code to be read, obtains image data of the symbol using an imaging module, and reads information corresponding to the code by analyzing the image data. Information reading devices that read information electromagnetically, such as RFID and IC tags, have also been developed. Here, the term code reader or information reading device is used to refer not only to information reading devices that optically read printed media, but also to information reading devices that read information electromagnetically using RFID and the like. Such information reading devices come in handheld types that the user holds in the hand and fixed types that are installed in a stationary position. Handheld types have a built-in battery so that the user can carry them around.

Handheld devices also come in a variety of shapes, including flat-shaped devices like smartphones, gun-type devices with grips for holding, and devices with a reading surface like RFID. Previously, in order to accommodate these different shapes, users had to prepare multiple information reading devices for each shape.

JP 2008-234634 A JP 2019-194843 A

One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide an information reading set, information reading device, and expansion module that can accommodate different reading formats while using a common housing.

Means for solving the problem and effects of the invention

The information reading set according to a first aspect of the present invention is an information reading set comprising: a housing having a first main surface and a second main surface opposite the first main surface; a camera unit provided in the housing; a processor unit that decodes a symbol included in an image acquired by the camera unit; a display unit provided on the first main surface; a communication interface capable of wireless communication with the outside; an information reading device formed on the second main surface of the housing, forming a peripheral open area in which at least a portion of a circumferential direction of an axis perpendicular to the second main surface is open, and a main body side connection area provided with a main body side connection terminal; a module side housing having a third main surface; a battery built into the module side housing; and one or more expansion modules comprising a module side connection area provided on the third main surface, the module side connection area being detachably joined to the main body side connection area of the information reading device and having a module side connection terminal connected to the main body side connection terminal, wherein the expansion module has a part of the module side connection area exposed from the peripheral open area in a state in which the module side connection area is joined to the main body side connection area. With the above configuration, the information reading device is equipped with a function for reading information, and by engaging the expansion module with the information reading device, the expansion module can be replaced, allowing functions to be added or selected according to the application. In addition, by exposing a part of the module side joint area from the surrounding open area, the size of the module side housing is not restricted by the size of the main body side joint area, and it is possible to flexibly design the external shape of the expansion module, for example by having the module side housing protrude to the outside from this exposed part.

In addition, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information reading device including a housing having a first main surface and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface, a camera unit provided in the housing, a processor unit for decoding a symbol included in an image acquired by the camera unit, a display unit provided on the first main surface, a communication interface capable of wireless communication with the outside, and a main body side connection area formed on the second main surface of the housing and provided with a main body side connection terminal; a module side housing having a third main surface, a battery built into the module side housing, and a module side connection area provided on the third main surface that is detachably joined to the main body side connection area of the information reading device and is connected to the main body side connection terminal. An information reading set including a battery and a plurality of expansion modules, the module side connection terminals including a power supply terminal for supplying power from the battery and a plurality of module side signal terminals, and the body side connection terminal and the module side connection terminal are electrically connected when the module side connection area of one of the plurality of expansion modules is engaged with the body side connection area of the information reading device, and driving power is supplied from the battery to the information reading device via the power supply terminal, and the information reading device, when the module side connection area of one of the plurality of expansion modules is joined to its body side connection area, varies the number of the plurality of signal terminals used depending on the expansion module to which it is connected. With the above configuration, the terminals that communicate between the information reading device and the expansion modules supply power from the expansion module to the information reading device, while varying the number of terminals used depending on the function of the expansion module to be connected, thereby enabling the use of expansion modules with various functions.

Furthermore, according to an information reading set according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information reading set comprising: a housing having a first main surface and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface; a camera unit provided in the housing; a processor unit that decodes a symbol included in an image acquired by the camera unit; a display unit provided on the first main surface; a communication interface capable of wireless communication with the outside; and a main body side joining area formed on the second main surface of the housing, forming a peripheral open area in which at least a portion of a circumferential direction of an axis perpendicular to the second main surface is open and having a main body side connection terminal; and one or more expansion modules comprising: a module side housing having a third main surface; a battery built into the module side housing; and a module side joining area provided on the third main surface, the module side joining area being detachably joined to each of the main body side joining areas of the plurality of information reading devices and having a module side connection terminal connected to the main body side connection terminal, wherein the expansion module has a portion of the module side joining area exposed from the main body side joining area in a state in which the module side joining area is joined to the main body side joining area. With the above configuration, a common extension module can be connected to information reading devices of different external shapes, and the extension module can be reused with each information reading device, improving convenience.

Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information reading device that is detachably connected to an extension module, comprising a housing having a first main surface and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface, a camera unit provided in the housing, a processor unit that decodes a symbol included in an image acquired by the camera unit, a display unit provided on the first main surface, a communication interface capable of wireless communication with the outside, and a body-side joining area formed on the second main surface of the housing, forming a peripheral open area in which at least a portion of the circumferential direction of an axis perpendicular to the second main surface is open, and having a body-side connection terminal provided therein, and the body-side joining area of the information reading device comprises a first wall portion that partially surrounds the periphery of the peripheral open area provided on the second main surface of the housing, and a pair of second walls in the peripheral open area spaced apart from the first wall portion. With the above configuration, the joining area of the information reading device can stably engage the extension module with the first wall portion and the second wall portion.

Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an expansion module which is detachably connected to an information reading device, the expansion module comprising: a housing having a first main surface and a second main surface opposite the first main surface; a main body side joining area formed on the second main surface, which forms a peripheral open area in which at least a portion of the circumferential direction of an axis perpendicular to the second main surface is open, and which is provided with a main body side connecting terminal; and a module side housing having a third main surface, a battery built into the module side housing, and a module side joining area provided on the third main surface, which is detachably joined to the main body side joining area of the information reading device and is connected to the main body side connecting terminal, and when the module side joining area is joined to the main body side joining area, a portion of the module side joining area is exposed from the peripheral open area.

Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present invention, an expansion module is provided that is detachably connected to an information reading device, the expansion module including a housing having a first main surface and a second main surface facing the first main surface, a peripheral open area formed on the second main surface, at least a part of which is open in the circumferential direction of an axis perpendicular to the second main surface, and a main body side connection area provided with a main body side connection terminal, the expansion module including a module side housing having a third main surface, a battery built into the module side housing, and a module side connection area provided on the third main surface that is detachably connected to the main body side connection area of the information reading device, the module side connection area of the expansion module having a protrusion protruding from the peripheral open area of the main body side connection area in a direction parallel to the second main surface when the module side connection area of the expansion module is connected to the main body side connection area provided on the second main surface of the housing of the information reading device. With the above configuration, the expansion module can be configured to have a shape that is not restricted by the shape of the housing, making it possible to flexibly design the external shape of the expansion module.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of multiple expansion modules that can be coupled to a common information reading device. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of an information reading set. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the information reading set of FIG. 2 . FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the information reading set of FIG. 3 as viewed from the right side. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which an extension module is joined to the information reading device of FIG. 3, as viewed obliquely from below. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a joint between the information reading device and the expansion module shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an information reading set according to the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an information reading set in which the expansion module is a keypad module. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an information reading set in which the expansion module is a long keypad module. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an information reading set in which the expansion module is a trigger module. 1 is a perspective view showing an information reading set in which the expansion module is an RFID module. FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing a common charging stand to which various information reading sets can be connected. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing the surface of the information reading set of FIG. 12 that is placed on the charging stand. FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing the surface of the other information reading set of FIG. 12 that is placed on the charging stand. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a state in which a plurality of information reading sets are placed on another charging stand. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the information reading set of FIG. 2 is placed on yet another charging stand. FIG. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing how a plurality of different information reading devices are joined to a common expansion module. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing any combination of connecting multiple different information readers to multiple different expansion modules. 1 is a perspective view showing how a plurality of information reading devices, each having a different OS installed thereon, are connected to a common expansion module.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment shown below is an example of an information reading set, an information reading device, and an extension module for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the present invention does not specify the information reading set, the information reading device, and the extension module as described below. In addition, this specification never specifies the members shown in the claims to the members of the embodiment. In particular, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of the components described in the embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to those, and are merely explanatory examples, unless otherwise specified. Note that the size and positional relationship of the members shown in each drawing may be exaggerated to clarify the explanation. Furthermore, in the following explanation, the same name and symbol indicate the same or similar members, and detailed explanation will be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, each element constituting the present invention may be configured as a form in which multiple elements are composed of the same member and one member serves multiple elements, or conversely, the function of one member can be shared by multiple members.
[Embodiment 1]
(Information reading set 1000)

The information reading set 1000 is for reading codes and IC tags and for registering and verifying data. An example of a combination of the information reading set 1000 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. Here, an example of multiple extension modules that can be connected to a common information reading device is shown. As shown in this figure, the information reading set 1000 uses an information reading device 100 equipped with a function for reading information in combination with any one of multiple different extension modules 200.

In the example of FIG. 1, the expansion module 200 includes, for example, a power supply module 210, a keypad module 220 which is an input module, a trigger module 230, and an RFID module 240. Any one of the multiple expansion modules 200 is adapted to be engaged with one information reading device 100. Below, the entire information reading set 1000 will be described first using the power supply module 210 of the expansion modules 200 as an example, and the other expansion modules will be described later.

2 is a perspective view of the information reading set 1000, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the information reading set 1000 of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the information reading set of FIG. 2 as seen from the right side, FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the state in which a power supply module is joined to the information reading device of FIG. 3 as seen from diagonally below, and FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing the joining portion of the information reading device and the expansion module of FIG. 3. As shown in these figures, the information reading device 100 comprises a housing 10 having a first main surface 11 and a second main surface 12, a peripheral open area 13 formed by opening at least a part of the periphery of the second main surface 12, and a body-side joining area 30 in which a body-side connection terminal 20 is provided.

The power supply module 210 comprises a module side housing 40 having a third main surface 41, and a module side joint area 43 provided on the third main surface 41. This module side joint area 43 is detachably joined to the main body side joint area 30 of the information reading device 100. The module side joint area 43 is also provided with a module side connection terminal 42 that is connected to the main body side connection terminal 20 when joined to the main body side joint area 30.

The information reading device 100 and the power supply module 210 are engaged with each other as shown in FIG. 2 by joining the main body side joint area 30 of the information reading device 100 and the module side joint area 43 of the power supply module 210. At this time, with the module side joint area 43 joined to the main body side joint area 30, a part of the module side joint area 43 shown in the area surrounded by a dashed line in FIG. 2 is exposed from the surrounding open area 13. This exposes the terminals and keys provided on each expansion module, allowing the user to connect cables and operate the keys.

Furthermore, by configuring the module side housing 40 so that a part of it is exposed from the surrounding open area, it is possible to expand the module side housing 40 from the exposed part. For example, as shown in Fig. 1, one information reading device 100 can accommodate not only a power supply module 210 but also a keypad module 220, a trigger module 230, and an RFID module 240, and the external shape of the expansion module can be flexibly designed.
(Information Reading Device 100)

As shown in FIG. 4, the information reading device 100 has a camera unit 110 provided on the upper end side of the housing 10. A functional block diagram of this information reading set is shown in FIG. 7. The information reading device 100 shown in this figure has a camera unit 110, a processor unit 120 that decodes symbols contained in an image acquired by the camera unit 110, a display unit 130 provided on the first main surface 11, a communication interface 140 capable of wireless communication with the outside, and a main body memory unit 170. In this way, the information reading device 100 has the function of reading information such as codes and IC tags.

The camera unit 110 captures an image of the code, symbol, character string, etc. to be read, or captures the appearance of the object to which these are attached. In the case of a code, light reflected by the code is received to obtain an input image. Such a camera unit can be configured with a camera module equipped with an image sensor for capturing images, an optical system having a lens, etc., and an autofocus mechanism, etc. Image sensors such as CCD and CMOS can be used as the image sensor. An illumination unit may also be added as necessary. The illumination unit shines light on the code to be read.

The processor unit 120 realizes the functions of the decode unit 121, the control unit 160, the key operation unit 123, the determination unit 150, etc. The processor unit 120 can be configured with a CPU, MPU, GPU, SoC, etc., or a combination of these. The decode unit 121 decodes the input image obtained by the camera unit 110. The control unit 122 performs necessary control and output processing based on the information decoded by the decode unit 121. The key operation unit 123 is various keys, triggers, touch panels, etc. provided on the housing 10, and accepts operations such as key input from the user via the key operation unit 123. The determination unit 150 communicates with the connected extension module 200 via the communication interface 140 to determine what type the extension module 200 currently connected to the information reading device 100 is, and determines its type. The main body side memory unit 170 is configured with RAM, ROM, etc., and serves as a work space for various arithmetic processing executed by the processor unit 120. It also retains necessary information.

The display unit 130 is configured, for example, with an organic EL display or a liquid crystal display. The display unit 130 can display, for example, a code captured by the camera unit 110 and a character string that is the result of decoding the code. In addition, by configuring the display unit 130 with a touch panel, it can also serve as part of the functions of the key operation unit.

The communication interface 140 is a component for communicating with external devices, and can include a wireless communication unit 140a for wireless communication and a wired interface unit 140b for wired communication. The communication interface 140 is connected to an internal bus, and can be connected to an external network such as the Internet, a LAN, or a WAN, making it possible to send and receive data to and from external devices.

On the other hand, the multiple extension modules 200 have different configurations depending on the application. For example, the power supply module 210 has an internal interface unit 201, a wired communication unit, a memory unit 205, an external interface unit 202, and a battery 211. The internal interface unit 201 is electrically connected to the communication interface 140 of the information reading device 100 to perform data communication. The external interface unit 202 has a connector for performing data communication with an external device, input and output, or receiving power from a charging stand. The external interface unit 202 is connected to the wired communication unit, and the wired communication unit is responsible for data communication and signal exchange with the external device. The memory unit 205 realizes the function of, for example, an ID storage unit. This ID storage unit holds the type of the extension module and ID information for individual recognition. On the information reading device side, in order to identify the connected extension module, the ID information held in the ID storage unit is read via the internal interface unit 201.

Here, the information reading device 100 in FIG. 7 is not provided with a battery for supplying power to drive the information reading device 100. Therefore, by joining the main body side joint 30 and the module side joint area 43 of the expansion module 200 that is equipped with a battery, the information reading device 100 and the expansion module 200 are engaged, and power is supplied to the information reading device 100 from the expansion module 200.

In this way, the extension modules 200 that can be attached to the information reading device 100 can be not only the power supply module 210, which mainly supplies power, but also the keypad module 220, trigger module 230, RFID module 240, etc., which have functions other than power supply. As described later, each extension module 200 has a common module-side joint area 43, so that the module-side joint area 43 of any extension module 200 can be joined to the main body-side joint part 30 and attached to the information reading device 100. As a result, it is possible to appropriately select and use an extension module 200 suited to the purpose from a plurality of extension modules 200 with different functions.
(Housing 10)

The housing 10 that houses the above-mentioned components can be of any shape having a first main surface 11 and a second main surface 12 that faces the first main surface 11, as shown in Figures 3 to 5. In this embodiment, the shape of the housing 10 is generally plate-like, extending in one direction. The housing 10 is made of a lightweight, moldable, and insulating material, such as a resin such as ABS or polycarbonate. In addition, both ends of the housing 10 in the extension direction are respectively called the first end 10a and the second end 10b.

As shown in Fig. 4, a camera unit is provided on the first end 10a side. Connector terminals and the like are provided on the second end 10b side. A display unit 130 such as a touch panel is provided on the first main surface 11. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a storage section 16 is formed on the second end 10b side of the second main surface 12, in which a main body side connection terminal 20 is disposed.
(Body side joint area 30)

The main body side bonding area 30 is for detachably bonding to the module side bonding area 43 of the power supply module 210. The main body side bonding area 30 is a portion that comes into surface contact with the module side bonding area 43, and may be provided on the entire second main surface 12 or on a part of the second main surface 12.
(Surrounding open area 13)

The peripheral open area 13 in FIG. 5 is formed so that at least a portion of the body-side joining area 30 is open in the circumferential direction of an axis perpendicular to the second main surface 12. In this embodiment, a portion of the periphery of the second main surface 12 is opened to form the peripheral open area 13. This peripheral open area 13 exposes a portion of the module-side joining area 43 shown by the area surrounded by the dashed line in FIG. 2 when the module-side joining area 43 is joined to the body-side joining area 30.

By providing such an exposed portion, it is possible to further expand the module side housing 40 from the exposed portion. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, one information reading device 100 can accommodate not only a power supply module 210, but also a keypad module 220, a trigger module 230, and an RFID module 240.

In other words, by forming the peripheral open area 13, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the shape of the module side housing 40 is restricted when the entire periphery of the main body side bonding area 30 is closed. This makes it possible to give the module side housing 40 a shape that extends from the peripheral open area 13. As a result, the outer shape of the extension module can be flexibly designed, and various extension modules 200 can be engaged with the information reading device 100, thereby adding functions according to the application.
(First wall portion 14)

A first wall 14 may further be provided in the body-side joint region 30. The first wall 14 partially surrounds the periphery of the peripheral open region 13. In this embodiment, as an example, the first wall 14 is provided on the first end 10a side of the housing 10. This first wall 14 may have any shape as long as it can partially surround the peripheral open region 13, and in this embodiment, it has a convex shape that follows the first end 10a. In addition, the first wall 14 is provided integrally with the housing 10.

The first wall 14 shown in FIG. 5 is adapted to abut against a first end 40a of the module side housing 40, which will be described later, when the module side joining region 43 is joined to the main body side joining region 30. At this time, the first wall 14 may be provided with a first engagement structure 101 that abuts and engages with a part of the module side housing 40. By partially providing the first wall 14 in the main body side joining region 30 while leaving it partially open in the circumferential direction, a place can be secured for providing the first engagement structure with the power supply module 210.

The first engagement structure 101 may be of any known type as long as the first wall portion 14 can engage with the module side housing 40. In this embodiment, as an example, an engagement hole 14a is provided in the first wall portion 14. Meanwhile, an engagement protrusion 44 is provided on the first end portion 40a of the module side housing 40 at a position corresponding to the engagement hole 14a. By inserting this engagement protrusion 44 into the engagement hole 14a, the module side housing 40 can be engaged with the housing 10 of the information reading device 100. This allows the power supply module 210 to be stably engaged with the information reading device 100.

In addition, the information reading device 100 can also form a speaker sound emission hole 14c on the bottom side of the first wall portion 14 (top side in FIG. 5). Generally, the speaker sound emission hole is provided on the bottom side of the housing, but in a configuration in which the expansion module is placed on the bottom side, the sound emission hole is covered, making it difficult to hear the sound. Therefore, by storing the speaker in the first wall portion 14 and providing the sound emission hole 14c on the protruding surface of the first wall portion 14 using the first wall portion 14 as shown in FIG. 5, the speaker can be placed in a position that is not covered by the power supply module 210, and it is possible to avoid the sound from the speaker becoming difficult to hear due to the joining of the power supply module 210.

4, the camera unit 110 may be disposed inside the first wall 14. In other words, the portion that houses the camera unit 110 is utilized as the first wall 14. By forming the first wall 14 by utilizing the storage space for the camera unit 110 in this manner and providing the first engagement structure 101, it is possible to avoid an increase in size of the housing 10 and to simplify the configuration.
(Second wall portion 15)

Furthermore, the information reading device 100 can be provided with not only a first wall portion but also a pair of second walls in the main body side joint area. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the pair of second walls 15, 15 are for engaging with the module side housing 40 when the main body side joint area 30 and the module side joint area 43 are joined. The pair of second walls 15, 15 are provided in a position spaced apart from the first wall portion 14 in the peripheral open area 13. In this embodiment, as an example, the pair of second walls 15, 15 are provided on the second end 10b side of the housing 10. In addition, the pair of second walls 15, 15 are spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the housing 10. The shape of the second walls 15, 15 can be any shape, and in this embodiment, they are convex along the extension direction of the housing 10. The pair of second walls 15, 15 are also formed integrally with the housing 10.

The pair of second wall portions 15, 15 can be provided with a second engagement structure 102 that abuts and engages with another part of the module side housing 40 when the first wall portion 14 is engaged with a part of the module side housing 40 via the first engagement structure 101.

In order to engage with the second engagement structure 102 of the pair of second walls 15, 15, in the example of FIG. 5 etc., the module side housing 40 is provided with a pair of engagement recesses 45, 45 on its second end 40b side at positions corresponding to the second walls 15, 15. The pair of engagement recesses 45, 45 have a shape corresponding to the outer shape of the second wall 15. By connecting these second walls 15, 15 and the engagement recesses 45, 45, respectively, the power supply module 210 can be stably held in the information reading device 100.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, the first wall portion has a first abutment surface 14b that abuts against a part of the module side housing 40. The second wall portion has a second abutment surface 15b that abuts against another part of the module side housing 40. The first abutment surface 14b and the second abutment surface 15b are arranged to intersect. That is, the module side housing 40 is engaged with the first engagement structure 101 while restricting movement in the direction of the arrow AR1. In addition, the second engagement structure 102 is configured to engage with the module side housing 40, restricting movement in the directions of the arrows AR2 and AR3. In this way, by making the first engagement structure 101 and the second engagement structure 102 act in intersecting directions, resistance to external forces from different directions can be increased, making it easier to exert structural joint strength.
(Storage section 16)

The storage section 16 is for storing the main body side connection terminal 20 as shown in FIG. 6. This storage section 16 can be made, for example, by forming a recess on the second end 10b side of the second main surface 12. The main body side connection terminal 20 is disposed on the bottom surface of this recess. A pair of locking claw receivers 17, 17 can be provided on both sides of the main body side connection terminal 20. A pair of locking claws 47, 47 described below are inserted into these locking claw receivers 17, 17 when engaging the module side housing 40. This allows a stable connection between the main body side connection terminal 20 and the module side connection terminal 42 when engaging the module side housing 40 with the housing 10 of the information reading device 100.

The storage section 16 may further include a SIM card slot 18 and an SD card slot 19. Here, the storage section 16 may be open when the information reading device 100 is not engaged with the expansion module 200. In other words, the main body side connection terminal 20, the SIM card slot 18, the SD card slot 19, etc. may be exposed without being covered by a lid or the like when not engaged with the expansion module 200.

This reduces the hassle of having to remove the lid and store it each time the extension module 200 is engaged to read information. Furthermore, the information reading device 100 and the extension module 200 can be quickly engaged when it is desired to use the device, improving work efficiency. On the other hand, even if the lid is stored in a part of the housing 10 in order to eliminate the trouble of storing a separate lid, the structure of the housing 10 becomes complicated, which may increase the manufacturing process and cause problems such as increased labor and cost. Therefore, by leaving the storage section 16 open as in this embodiment, the information reading device 10 has a simple configuration and improves work efficiency.
(Main body side connection terminal 20)

The main body side connection terminal 20 is for receiving driving power from the expansion module 200. The main body side connection terminal 20 can be in any form as long as an electrical connection with the expansion module 200 can be ensured. In this embodiment, the main body side connection area 30 is located inside the storage section 16 on the second end 10b side, in other words, behind the back surface of the housing 10 in FIG. 3. By locating it in such a position, the center of gravity of the information reading device 100 can be stabilized.

As shown in FIG. 6, the main body side connection terminal 20 is disposed between the pair of second walls 15, 15. By engaging with the second engagement structure 102 provided on the pair of second walls 15, 15 on both sides of the portion where electrical connection is made between the information reading device 100 and the power supply module 210, the structural stability of the electrically connected portion is increased, and the reliability of the electrical connection is improved.

The main body side connection terminal 20 includes a power receiving terminal 20a that receives drive power from the expansion module 200, and a number of signal terminals 20b that receive control signals from the expansion module 200. These power receiving terminals 20a and signal terminals 20b can be existing terminals, and in this embodiment, pin-shaped terminals are used. As an example, these power receiving terminals 20a and signal terminals 20b are arranged in a matrix.

With the main body side connection terminal 20 and the module side connection area 43 joined to the main body side connection area 30, driving power is supplied to the information reading device 100 from the module side connection terminal 42 described below. In other words, the information reading device 100 of this embodiment does not include a general-purpose power supply terminal or secondary battery. Power is supplied by engaging one of the multiple extension modules 200.

Here, the information reading device 100 has the module side joining region 43 of one of the multiple expansion modules 200 joined to the main body side joining region 30, and the number of multiple signal terminals 20b used varies depending on the expansion module 200 to which it is connected.

This allows various types of extension modules 200 to be used by varying the number of signal terminals 20b used depending on the function of the connected extension module 200 while supplying power from the extension module 200 to the information reading device 100 through the module side connection terminal 42. Specifically, the number of signal terminals 20b used can be appropriately adjusted, for example, to a small number for an extension module with a simple configuration and to a large number for a complex one.
(Expansion Module 200)

As shown in FIG. 1, the information reading set 1000 of the first embodiment uses an information reading device 100 in combination with any one of a number of different expansion modules 200. The expansion module 200 includes one or more input modules having a battery and a module-side input section that accepts external input, such as a keypad module 220, a trigger module 230, and an RFID module 240. The expansion module 200 further includes a power supply module 210 that has a battery and does not have a module-side input section. However, the information reading set of this embodiment does not need to include all of the above expansion modules 200, and can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the usage mode.

Then, either the input module or the power supply module can be engaged with the information reading device 100. In other words, by removing the power supply module of the information reading device and attaching an input module having a module side joint area common to the power supply module in its place, a different module side input section can be used. As an example, each of the expansion modules 200 shown in FIG. 1 has a common module side joint area 43.

In this information reading set 1000, the battery is not built into the information reading device 100, but into the expansion module 200. Therefore, the capacity and shape of the battery can be designed according to the functions to be expanded by the expansion module 200.

As shown in FIG. 7, each expansion module 200 is equipped with a battery of the required capacity to realize functions suited to the type of expansion module. The shape of the battery differs depending on the shape of each expansion module 200. For example, the battery 211 of the power supply module 210 and the battery 211 of the keypad module 210 are flat type, while the battery 231 of the trigger module 230 and the battery 241 of the RFID module 240 are battery type, etc., so that they can be adjusted to suit the type of expansion module.

Power is supplied directly from each of these batteries 211-241 to the control unit 160 of the information reading device 100. In addition, data communication between each of the batteries 211-241 and the information reading device 100 is performed using a standardized communication method. For example, communication is performed via the internal interface unit 201, which is a USB. By communicating using a standardized communication method, it becomes easier to create and add extension modules later.

Each expansion module 200 also has an external interface unit 202, for example a USB supply terminal, for charging the batteries 211-241. This external interface unit 202 can also be used as a wired interface for connecting to the outside. In this way, by providing the wired interface on the expansion module 200 side rather than the information reading device 100, it is easier to realize a waterproof and dustproof structure for the information reading device 100.

Furthermore, any of the input modules of each of the above expansion modules 200 can be equipped with a dimension measurement unit or a thermal camera. This allows the information reading device 100 to measure dimensions and temperature while reading the information of the object to be read, making it possible to add further functions to the information reading device 100.

Each expansion module 200 will be described below.
(Power supply module 210)

As shown in Figure 3 etc., the power supply module 210 comprises a module side housing 40 having a third main surface 41, a battery 211 built into the module side housing 40, and a module side bonding area 43 formed on the third main surface 41.
(Module side housing 40)

The module side housing 40 can be any shape having a third main surface 41. In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, it is generally plate-shaped extending in one direction. In addition, both ends of the module side housing 40 in the extension direction are respectively a first end 40a and a second end 40b. An engagement protrusion 44 is provided on the first end 40a side at a position corresponding to an engagement hole 14a formed in the first wall portion 14 of the information reading device 100. When the module side joining region 43 is joined to the main body side joining region 30, the engagement protrusion 44 is inserted into the engagement hole 14a to engage the module side housing 40 with the housing 10 of the information reading device 100.

The shape of this engagement protrusion 44 can be any shape as long as it can engage with the engagement hole 14a, and in this embodiment, it is a convex shape that can be inserted into the engagement hole 14a. However, it goes without saying that the engagement protrusion may be formed on the first wall portion 14 and the engagement hole may be formed on the first end portion 40a of the module side housing 40.

A pair of engagement recesses 45, 45 are provided on the second end 40b side of the module side housing 40 at positions corresponding to the second wall portions 15, 15 of the information reading device 100. The power supply module 210 is stably engaged with the information reading device 100 by engaging these second wall portions 15, 15 with the engagement recesses 45, 45, respectively.
(Module side joining area 43)

The module side bonding area 43 is detachably joined to the body side bonding area 30 of the information reading device 100. The module side bonding area 43 is a portion that comes into surface contact with the body side bonding area 30, and may be provided on the entire third main surface 41 or on a part of the third main surface 41. As described above, when the module side bonding area 43 and the body side bonding area 30 are joined, a part of the module side bonding area 43 is exposed from the surrounding open area 13.
(Module side connection terminal 42)

The module side connection terminal 42 is connected to the body side connection terminal 20 of the information reading device 100 and supplies power to the information reading device 100. The module side connection terminal 42 is formed in the module side joining area 43. As an example, the module side connection terminal 42 in FIG. 6 can be provided on the second end 40b side at a position corresponding to the body side connection terminal 20 when the module side joining area 43 is joined to the body side joining area 30.

The module side connection terminal 42 includes a power supply terminal 42a that supplies power from the battery 211, and a number of module side signal terminals 42b. With the module side joint area 43 joined to the body side joint area 30 of the information reading device 100, the power supply terminal 42a and the power receiving terminal 20a of the body side connection terminal 20 are electrically connected, and driving power is supplied from the battery 211 to the information reading device 100.

The power supply terminals 42a and the module side signal terminals 42b can be existing terminals, and in this embodiment, planar terminals are used that contact the pin-shaped main body side connection terminals 20. As an example, the power supply terminals 42a and the module side signal terminals 42b are arranged in a matrix.
(Lock claws 47, 47)

The pair of locking claws 47, 47 are for stably connecting the main body side connection terminal 20 and the module side connection terminal 42. As shown in FIG. 6, the pair of locking claws 47, 47 are provided on both sides of the module side connection terminal 42 at positions corresponding to a pair of locking claw receivers 17, 17 provided in the storage section 16 of the housing 10. The pair of locking claws 47, 47 are inserted into the pair of locking claw receivers 17, 17, respectively, so as to engage with each other.

The shape of the locking claw 47 can be any shape as long as it can be inserted into the locking claw receiver 17 and engaged with each other. In this embodiment, for example, it has a tapered convex shape erected in the module side joining area 43. However, the locking claw and locking claw receiver of this embodiment are not limited to the above. For example, the locking claw may be provided in the main body side joining area 30 of the information reading device 100, and the locking claw receiver may be provided in the module side joining area 43.

Also, a groove 16a may be provided on the periphery of the storage section 16 of the information reading device 100, and a protrusion 50 may be provided on the module side housing 40 at a position corresponding to the groove 16a so as to surround the module side connection terminal 42. By inserting this protrusion 50 into the groove 16a, the information reading device 100 and the power supply module 210 can be engaged more stably.
(Packing 60)

Furthermore, a gasket 60 may be provided on the joint surface between the body side joint area 30 of the information reading device 100 and the module side joint area 43 of the power supply module 210. In this embodiment, as an example, the gasket 60 is provided along the convex portion 50, but it can also be provided in the groove 16a. The gasket 60 is crushed when the convex portion 50 is inserted into the groove 16a, and can provide waterproofing and dustproofing to prevent water from entering the joint portion between the information reading device 100 and the power supply module 210.

So far, the power supply module 210 has been described as an example of the expansion module 200. Below, the other expansion modules 200 will be described. In this case, the same names and reference numerals as those of the power supply module 210 indicate the same or similar members, and detailed descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.
(Keypad Module 220)

The information reading set 1000 may include a keypad module 220 with a built-in battery 221 as one of the one or more input modules. In the keypad module 220a shown in FIG. 8, the module side housing 40 further includes a protrusion 46.

Here, as described above, the peripheral open area 13 is provided in the main body side joining area 30, and when the module side joining area 43 is joined to the main body side joining area 30, a part of the module side joining area 43 is exposed from the peripheral open area 13. By configuring the module side joining area 43 to be exposed from the peripheral open area 13, the module side housing 40 can be expanded from the exposed part. Therefore, when the module side joining area 43 is joined to the main body side joining area 30, it is possible to make the protrusion 46 protrude from the peripheral open area 13 of the main body side joining area 30 in a direction parallel to the second main surface 12. This allows the module side housing to be configured so that the expansion module 200 is not restricted by the shape of the housing, making it possible to flexibly design the external shape of the expansion module.

A numeric keypad 204 is also arranged on the first main surface 11 side of the protrusion 46. The shape of the protrusion 46 can be any shape as long as the numeric keypad 204 can be arranged thereon, and in this embodiment, it is generally plate-shaped. This keypad module 220a makes it easy to accept input from the user and improves operability.

The keypad 220a may further include a holder HD. The holder HD prevents the information reading set 1000 from falling out of the user's hand when the information reading set 1000 is in use, and makes it easier to hold.

In addition, instead of providing a holder HD, the protrusion 46 can be a gripping member shaped to be easily gripped by the user. The keypad module 220b shown in FIG. 9 is longer than the keypad module 220a in FIG. 8, meaning that the protrusion 46b protrudes a greater amount. The shape of the protrusion 46b is also rod-shaped, making it easy for the user to grip. This improves convenience by making the shape easy for the user to grip, without providing a separate member such as a holder HD.

The keypad module 220b may be provided with an RFID reader for reading an RFID on the back side of the portion that receives the body-side joining region 30 of the information reading device 100. This makes it possible to read the RFID and simultaneously input data from the numeric keypad 204.
(Trigger Module 230)

The information reading set 1000 may also include a trigger module 230 incorporating a battery 231 as one of the one or more input modules. In the trigger module 230 of Fig. 10, the module side housing 40 includes a grip portion 48 that protrudes in a direction intersecting with the third main surface 41. The grip portion 48 is provided with a trigger 48a as a module side input portion. This makes it possible to meet the needs of users who want a gun-type information reading set.
(RFID module 240)

The information reading set 1000 may further include an RFID module 240 with a built-in battery 241 as one of the one or more input modules. The RFID module 240 may have any configuration as long as it can read an RFID tag. For example, the RFID module 240 in Fig. 11 includes an RFID gripper 49 protruding from the module side housing 40 in a direction intersecting with the third main surface 41, and an RFID reader 49a that reads an RFID tag. This allows the camera unit to optically read information, and also adds a function of electromagnetically reading information with the RFID reader 49a.
(Charging stand 70)

The charging stand 70 is for charging each of the information reading sets. FIG. 12 shows one embodiment of the charging stand. As shown in this figure, one charging stand 70 can accommodate the information reading set 1000 with each of the expansion modules 200 engaged therewith. The charging stand 70 has a mounting surface 71 on which each of the information reading sets is placed. The mounting surface 71 can be of any shape, and in this embodiment, is generally circular. As shown in FIG. 12, by making the mounting surface 71 circular and leaving the periphery open, the expansion module 200 can be placed and held from any direction of 360°, making it easy to use.

A charging base side contact 72 is provided in approximately the center of the mounting surface 71. The expansion module 200 can be charged by bringing this charging base side contact 72 into contact with the module side contact 203 provided on the expansion module 200.

The module side contacts 203 can be provided on the bottom side (top side in FIG. 13) of plate-shaped modules such as the power supply module 210 and the keypad module 220a, as shown in FIG. 13. On the other hand, for modules with rod-shaped grips such as the keypad module 220b, the trigger module 230, and the RFID module 240, the module side contacts 203 can be provided on the tip part on the side opposite the third main surface 41 of the module side housing 40, as shown in FIG. 14.

Furthermore, magnets may be provided on the charging base side contacts 72 and the module side contacts 203. This makes it easier to position the module side contacts 203 when they are brought into contact with the charging base side contacts 72.

So far, an example has been described in which one information reading set 1000 is charged using one charging stand 70. However, the charging stand of the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the charging stand 70B shown in FIG. 15 is formed by connecting multiple charging stands. This allows multiple information reading sets 1000 to be charged at once, which contributes to improving work efficiency.

In addition, the mounting surface 71 of the charging stand 70, 70B described above is generally horizontal, but the charging stand of the present disclosure is not limited to the above. For example, the charging stand 70C shown in Fig. 16 has a mounting surface 71C that is inclined. By inclining the mounting surface 71C, there is an advantage that the information reading set 1000 engaged with, for example, a plate-shaped power supply module 210 can be easily placed and held.
[Embodiment 2]

In the first embodiment, an example has been described in which the information reading device 100 is used in combination with any one of a number of different extension modules 200. However, the information reading set of the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the information reading set 1000D of the second embodiment shown in Figures 17 and 18 can include a number of information reading devices 100D and one or more extension modules 200.

Figure 17 shows the case where there is one expansion module 200, while Figure 18 shows the case where there are multiple expansion modules 200. By making the shapes of the storage section 16 and the stored main body side connection terminals 20, etc., as shown in Figure 6, roughly the same for multiple information reading devices 100D, it is possible to connect a common expansion module 200 to different information reading devices 100D. This allows the expansion module 200 to be reused with each information reading device 100D, improving convenience.

The information reading devices 100D may have display units 130D of different sizes, as shown in Fig. 17. This allows the information reading devices 100D with different display sizes to be selectively used.
[Embodiment 3]

In the second embodiment, multiple information reading devices 100D with different display sizes have been described. However, the information reading set of the present disclosure is not limited to the above aspect. For example, the information reading set 1000E according to the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 19 can include multiple information reading devices 100E with different operating systems and one or more expansion modules 200. This makes it possible to reuse the expansion module 200 by sharing the main body side connection area 30 even among information reading devices 100E with different OSs.

As described above, the information reading set disclosed herein has a system configuration that allows multiple types of expansion modules to be freely combined with multiple types of information reading devices. For example, multiple expansion modules for one information reading device, one expansion module for multiple information reading devices, multiple expansion modules for multiple information reading devices, or one expansion module for one information reading device can be appropriately adjusted to suit the mode of use. As a result, flexible operation suited to the application is possible. Furthermore, each expansion module can be individually improved and modified, allowing for long-term continuous use of the entire system.

Furthermore, by designing each expansion module and maintaining the interface with each expansion module, the information reading device connected to each expansion module can also be improved and changed over time. For example, when improving the information reading device in line with the evolution of touch panels, processors, and cameras, if the interface with the expansion module is maintained, it will be possible to connect it to existing expansion modules, enabling long-term continuous use of the entire system.

The information reading set, information reading device, and expansion module disclosed herein can be ideally used in stationary code readers used in warehouses, factories, stores, etc. that read symbols such as barcodes and two-dimensional codes to register and verify data, as well as handheld scanners, handheld terminals, and business-use PDAs.

1000, 1000D, 1000E... Information reading set 100, 100D, 100E... Information reading device 110... Camera unit 120... Processor unit 121... Decode unit 123... Key operation unit 130, 130D... Display unit 140... Communication interface 140a... Wireless communication unit 140b... Wired interface unit 150... Determination unit 160... Control unit 170... Main body side memory unit 101... First engagement structure 102... Second engagement structure 10 ...Housing 10a...First end 10b...Second end 11...First main surface 12...Second main surface 13...Surrounding open area 14...First wall portion 14a...Engagement hole 14b...First abutment surface 14c...Sound emission hole 15...Second wall portion 15b...Second abutment surface 16...Storage portion 16a...Groove 17...Latching claw receiver 18...SIM card slot 19...SD card slot 20...Main body side connection terminal 20a...Power receiving terminal 20b...Signal terminal 30...Main body side joining area 40...Module side housing 4 0a...First end 40b...Second end 41...Third main surface 42...Module side connection terminal 42a...Power supply terminal 42b...Module side signal terminal 43...Module side joining area 44...Engagement protrusion 45...Engagement recess 46, 46b...Protrusion 47...Latching claw 48...Grip 48a...Trigger 49...RFID grip 49a...RFID reader 50...Convex portion 60...Packing 70, 70B, 70C...Charging base 71, 71C...Placement surface 72...Charging base side contact 2 00... Expansion modules 211, 221, 231, 241... Battery 201... Internal interface section 202... External interface section 203... Module side contacts 204... Numeric keypad 205... Memory section 210... Power supply modules 220, 220a, 220b... Keypad module 230... Trigger module 240... RFID module AR1, AR2, AR3... Direction of movement of module side housing HD... Holder

Claims (25)

a housing having a first main surface and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface;
A camera unit provided in the housing;
a processor unit that decodes a symbol included in an image captured by the camera unit;
A display unit provided on the first main surface;
A communication interface capable of wirelessly communicating with an external device;
a body-side joining region formed on the second main surface of the housing, the body-side joining region being at least partially open in a circumferential direction of an axis perpendicular to the second main surface, and the body-side joining region being provided with a body-side connection terminal;
An information reading device comprising:
a module side housing having a third main surface;
A battery built into the module side housing;
a module-side joining region provided on the third main surface, the module-side joining region being detachably joined to the body-side joining region of the information reading device and having a module-side connecting terminal connected to the body-side connecting terminal;
one or more expansion modules comprising:
An information reading set comprising:
The expansion module is an information reading set in which, with the module-side joint area joined to the main body-side joint area, a portion of the module-side joint area is exposed from the surrounding open area. 2. An information reading set according to claim 1,
The expansion module includes:
The battery;
A module side input unit that receives an input from an external device;
one or more input modules having
The battery is provided.
a power supply module that does not have the module side input unit;
Including,
An information reading set, in which either the input module or the power supply module is configured to be engageable with the information reading device. 3. The information reading set according to claim 1 or 2,
the body-side joint area of the information reading device includes a first wall portion that partially surrounds the periphery of the peripheral open area,
The first wall portion has a first engagement structure that abuts against and engages with a part of the module side housing. 4. An information reading set according to claim 3,
the body-side joint area of the information reading device is the peripheral open area, and includes a pair of second walls spaced apart from each other at positions spaced apart from the first wall,
The pair of second wall portions are provided with a second engagement structure that abuts and engages with another portion of the module side housing when the first wall portions are engaged with a portion of the module side housing via the first engagement structure, forming an information reading set. 5. An information reading set according to claim 4,
the first engagement structure having a first abutment surface that abuts against a portion of the module housing;
The second engagement structure has a second contact surface that contacts another part of the module housing and is disposed so as to intersect with another part of the module housing. 6. An information reading set according to claim 4 or 5,
The information reading set includes a pair of second wall portions spaced apart from each other, and the main body side connection terminal is disposed between the pair of second wall portions. The information reading set according to any one of claims 2 to 6,
The expansion module is an information reading set in which, when the module side joint area is joined to the main body side joint area, the module side housing has a protrusion that protrudes from the surrounding open area of the main body side joint area in a direction parallel to the second main surface. 8. An information reading set according to claim 7,
The information reading set, wherein the protruding portion is a keypad including a numeric keypad. 9. An information reading set according to claim 7 or 8,
The information reading set, wherein the protrusion is a gripping member that can be gripped by a user. An information reading set according to claim 2 and any one of claims 3 to 6 dependent on claim 2 ,
Any of the one or more input modules:
the module housing includes a grip portion protruding in a direction intersecting with the third main surface,
An information reading set, wherein the module side input unit is a trigger provided on the grip unit. An information reading set according to claim 2 and any one of claims 3 to 6 dependent on claim 2 ,
Any one of the one or more input modules includes the module side input unit,
The information reading set includes an RFID reader for reading RFID. An information reading set according to claim 2 and any one of claims 3 to 11 dependent on claim 2 ,
An information reading set, wherein any one of the one or more input modules has the module side input section as a dimension measurement module or a thermal camera. The information reading set according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
The information reading device further comprises:
An information reading set comprising a determination unit that determines the type of the one or more extension modules. The information reading set according to any one of claims 1 to 13,
The module side connection terminal is
a power supply terminal for supplying power to the battery;
A plurality of module side signal terminals;
The main body side connection terminal of the information reading device is
a power receiving terminal connected to the power supply terminal for receiving driving power from the battery;
a plurality of signal terminals connected to the plurality of module side signal terminals for receiving control signals from the extension module;
Equipped with
In a state where the module side joint area of the extension module is joined to the main body side joint area of the information reading device,
The power supply terminal and the power receiving terminal are electrically connected to each other, and driving power is supplied from the battery to the information reading device. 15. An information reading set according to claim 14,
The information reading device is an information reading set in which the module side connection area of any one of the multiple expansion modules is connected to the main body side connection area, and the number of the multiple signal terminals used is varied depending on the expansion module to which it is connected. 16. An information reading set according to claim 14 or 15,
An information reading set in which the plurality of signal terminals and the plurality of module-side signal terminals are respectively arranged in a matrix. The information reading set according to any one of claims 14 to 16,
The information reading set, wherein the main body side connection terminal is pin-shaped, and the module side connection terminal is surface-shaped and in contact with the pin-shaped terminal. An information reading set according to any one of claims 1 to 17,
An information reading set comprising: a packing provided on a joint surface between a main body side joint area of the information reading device and a module side joint area of the extension module. An information reading set according to any one of claims 1 to 18,
The expansion module includes a wired interface for connecting to an external device,
The information reading device is an information reading set that does not have a wired interface for connecting to the outside. An information reading set according to any one of claims 1 to 19,
The information reading set includes an external charging terminal for connecting the expansion module to an external charger. An information reading set according to any one of claims 1 to 20,
The main body side connection area is an area where a battery that supplies driving power to the processor unit can be attached as one of the expansion modules that is detachably attached to the information reading device, and another expansion module that expands the functions of the information reading device instead of the battery, making this an information reading set in which multiple expansion modules with different expanding functions can be detachably attached. a housing having a first main surface and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface;
A camera unit provided in the housing;
a processor unit that decodes a symbol included in an image captured by the camera unit;
A display unit provided on the first main surface;
A communication interface capable of wirelessly communicating with an external device;
a body-side joining region formed on the second main surface of the housing, the body-side joining region being at least partially open in a circumferential direction of an axis perpendicular to the second main surface, and the body-side joining region being provided with a body-side connection terminal;
A plurality of information reading devices each including
a module side housing having a third main surface;
A battery built into the module side housing;
a module-side joining region provided on the third main surface, the module -side joining region being detachably joined to each of the body-side joining regions of the plurality of information reading devices, and including a module-side connecting terminal connected to the body-side connecting terminal;
one or more expansion modules comprising:
An information reading set comprising:
The expansion module is an information reading set in which, with the module-side joint area joined to the main body-side joint area, a portion of the module-side joint area is exposed from the main body-side joint area. An information reading device that is detachably connected to an expansion module,
a housing having a first main surface and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface;
A camera unit provided in the housing;
a processor unit that decodes a symbol included in an image captured by the camera unit;
A display unit provided on the first main surface;
A communication interface capable of wirelessly communicating with an external device;
a body-side joining region formed on the second main surface of the housing, the body-side joining region being at least partially open in a circumferential direction of an axis perpendicular to the second main surface, and the body-side joining region being provided with a body-side connection terminal;
Equipped with
The body side joint area of the information reading device is
A first wall portion partially surrounding the periphery of the peripheral open area provided on the second main surface of the housing;
An information reading device comprising a pair of second walls in the peripheral open area at positions spaced apart from the first wall. An information reading device including a housing having a first main surface and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface, and a main body side joining region formed on the second main surface, the main body side joining region forming a peripheral open region in which at least a part of a circumferential direction of an axis perpendicular to the second main surface is open, and the main body side joining region is provided with a main body side connection terminal, and an extension module detachably connected to the information reading device,
a module side housing having a third main surface;
A battery built into the module side housing;
a module-side joining region provided on the third main surface, the module-side joining region being detachably joined to the body-side joining region of the information reading device and including a module -side connecting terminal to be connected to the body-side connecting terminal;
Equipped with
The expansion module is configured such that, with the module side joint area joined to the main body side joint area, a portion of the module side joint area is exposed from a surrounding open area. 25. The expansion module of claim 24,
An expansion module in which the module side joint area is joined to a main body side joint area provided on a second main surface of a housing of an information reading device, and the module side housing has a protrusion protruding from the surrounding open area of the main body side joint area in a direction parallel to the second main surface.

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