Optical scanner and light source module with reduced light beam diameter

An optical scanner, comprising:

• a body;
• a first reading window provided in the body;
• a second reading window provided in the body at an angle with respect to the first reading window;
• a light source;
• light splitting means for splitting a light beam emitted from the light source into a first light beam component traveling along a first optical path and a second light beam component traveling along a second optical path;
• light scan means for allowing the first light beam component and the second light beam component split by the light splitting means to be emitted from the first reading window and the second reading window;
• first beam shaping means placed between the light source and the light splitting means;
• and
• second beam shaping means placed in one of the first and second optical paths.

A light source module, comprising:

• a light source;
• first beam shaping means for shaping a light beam emitted from the light source;
• a light splitter splitting a light beam, which is emitted from the light source into a first light beam, traveling along a first optical path, and a second light beam, traveling along a second optical path;
• and
• second beam shaping means placed in one of the first and second optical paths.

An apparatus scanning an object having a bar code attached thereto, comprising:

• a light source emitting a light beam;
• a light beam splitting device splitting the beam of light emitted from the light source into a first light beam component and a second light beam component, the first light beam component traveling along a first optical path and the second light beam component traveling along a second optical path;
• a first reading window and a second reading window, each reading window emitting respective light beam components to impinge on and be reflected by the object and receiving the reflected light from the object;
• a light scan device directing the first light beam component and second light beam component through the first reading window and the second reading window, respectively, such that the first light beam component crosses paths with the second light beam component at an optimum reading position;
• a first beam shaping device, located between the light source and the light beam splitting device, minimizing the beam diameter of the first light beam component at the optimum reading position;
• a second beam shaping device, located in one of the first and second optical paths, minimizing the beam diameter of the second light beam component at the optimum reading position;
• and
• a detector system detecting the first and second beam components.

A method for scanning an object using an optical scanner, comprising the steps of:

• splitting a light beam emitted from a light source into a first light beam component and a second light beam component, the first light beam component traveling along a first optical path and the second light beam traveling along a second optical path;
• scanning the first beam component and the second beam component to a first reading window and a second reading window, respectively, and emitting the first beam component and the second beam component therefrom such that the paths of the first and second light beam components which are emitted from the first and second reading windows, respectively, cross at an optimal reading position;
• shaping the light beam to minimize the diameter of one of the light beam components at the optimal reading position, and shaping the other of the light beam components to minimize the diameter of the other of the light beam components at the optimal reading position;
• and
• detecting the object when the first and second light beam components are reflected from the object.

An optical scanner, comprising:

• a body;
• at least one reading window provided in the body;
• a light source provided in the body;
• a light splitting device splitting a light beam emitted from the light source into a first light beam component traveling along a first optical path and a second light beam component traveling along a second optical path;
• a light scan device allowing the first light beam component and the second light beam component split by the light splitting device to be emitted from the at least one reading window;
• a first beam shaping device placed between the light source and the light splitting device;
• and
• a second beam shaping device placed in one of the first and second optical paths.

An optical scanner, comprising:

• a body;
• a first reading window provided in the body;
• a second reading window provided in the body at an angle with respect to the first reading window;
• a light source;
• a light splitting device splitting a light beam emitted from the light source into a first light beam component traveling along a first optical path and a second light beam component traveling along a second optical path;
• a light scan device allowing the first light beam component and the second light beam component split by the light splitting device to be emitted from the first reading window and the second reading window;
• a first beam shaping device placed between the light source and the light splitting device;
• and
• a second beam shaping device placed in one of the first and second optical paths.

A light source module, comprising:

• a light source;
• a first beam shaping device shaping a light beam emitted from the light source;
• a light splitting device splitting a light beam, which is emitted from the light source into a first light beam, traveling along a first optical path, and a second light beam, traveling along a second optical path;
• and
• a second beam shaping device placed in one of the first and second optical paths.

An optical scanner comprising:

• a light source generating a light beam;
• a beam splitter splitting the light beam into light beam components;
• beam shaping devices shaping each of the light beam components;
• and
• mirrors directing the light beam components to an optimal reading zone, wherein the beam shaping devices shape the light beam components to minimize the respective beam diameters at the optimal reading zone.

A light source module, comprising:

• a light source;
• first beam shaping means for shaping a light beam emitted from the light source;
• a light splitter splitting a light beam, which is emitted from the light source into a first light beam, traveling along a first optical path, and a second light beam, traveling along a second optical path;
• and
• second beam shaping means placed in one of the first and second optical paths,
• wherein the first beam shaping means shapes a cross-sectional shape of the light beam and the second beam shaping means changes a focal distance of the light beam.

A light source module, comprising:

• a light source;
• a light splitting device splitting a light beam, which is emitted from the light source, into a first light beam traveling along a first optical path and a second light beam traveling along a second optical path;
• and
• a beam shaping device, placed in one of the first and second optical paths, changing a focal position of one of the first and second light beams to a position in front of or beyond a focal position of the other one of the first and second light beams.