PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR LOCATING AND READING A BAR CODE PRINTED WITH PHOSPHORESCENT INK ON A POSTAGE MARK OF A MAIL ITEM

摘要

The process for locating and reading automatically a bar code (2) printed with phosphorescent ink on a postage mark of a mail item (4), consists in moving said mail item on edge in a conveyor (8) in a longitudinal conveying direction (D) past a light source (6) emitting in the ultraviolet spectrum and in then moving said mail item on edge past a row of phototransistors (9A) extending in a direction perpendicular to said direction of conveying and past a photomultiplier (10), the signal (12) output by the photomultiplier serving for detecting the presence of the bar code in an analysis strip parallel to said direction of conveying and said signals (13) output by the phototransistors serving for the reading of the bar code. Application to automatic postal sorting.