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US 5,479,002 AGranted
Bar code scanner with scanning beam and/or field of view adjustable about three mutually orthogonal axes
AssigneeSymbol Technologies, Inc.
InventorsFrederic Heiman, Joseph Katz, Boris Metlitsky, Mark Krichever
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A scan head is adjustably mounted in a ball-and, socket joint on a scan module or housing of an electro-optical system for reading coded indicia. The scan head is movable about three mutually orthogonal axes intersecting within the scan head, thereby steering a light beam emitted from the head and/or steering a field of view of a sensor.
Claims50
In an electro-optical system for reading indicia having parts of different light reflectivity, a scan module comprising:
- (a) a movable scan head having an exit port;
- (b) means for emitting and directing a light beam along an outgoing path through the exit port toward indicia to be read;
- (c) sensor means having a field of view, and operative for detecting at least a portion of light of variable intensity reflected along a return path off the indicia;
- (d) scanning means for scanning at least one of said light beam and said field of view over the indicia to be read;
- an
- (e) mean for adjustably mounting the scan head on the scan module for freedom of movement about two mutually orthogonal axes to adjustably position the exit port relative to the scan module, the mounting means including a concave arced portion of a casing of the scan module that supports a spherical surface of the scan head,
- wherein the directing means includes a light reflector mounted in the scan head for joint movement therewith, and
- wherein the emitting means includes a light source mounted remotely from the scan head, and an optical fiber for conveying the light beam from the light source to the scan head.
5 more elements
An arrangement in alight scanning system for reading indicia having part of different light reflectivity, comprising:
- (a) a housing having a stationary portion, and a movable portion formed with an exit port;
- (b) means for emitting and directing a light beam along an optical path through the exit port toward indicia to be read;
- (c) photodetector means having a field of view and operative for detecting at least a portion of light of variable intensity reflected along a return path through the exit port off the indicia, and for generating an electrical signal indicative of the detected light intensity;
- (d) scanning means for scanning at least one of the light beam and the field of view;
- and
- (e) means for adjustably steering said at least one of the light beam and the field of view to different courses, including means for mounting the movable portion for movement relative to the stationary portion about at least two mutually orthogonal axes, the steering means including a concave arced portion of the stationary portion of the housing that supports a spherical portion of the movable portion,
- wherein the directing means includes a light reflector mounted in the movable portion for joint movement therewith, and
- wherein the emitting means includes a light source mounted remotely from the movable portion and an optical fiber for conveying the light beam from the light source to the movable portion.
5 more elements
An arrangement in a light scanning system for reading indicia having part of different light reflectivity, comprising:
- (a) a housing having a stationary portion, and a movable portion formed with an exit port;
- (b) means for emitting and directing a light beam along an optical path through the exit port toward indicia to be read;
- (c) photodetector means having a field of view and operative for detecting at least a portion of light of variable intensity reflected along a return path through the exit port off the indicia, and for generating an electrical signal indicative the detected light intensity;
- (d) scanning means for scanning at least one of the light beam and the field of view;
- and
- (e) means for adjustably steering said at least one of the light beam and the field of view to different courses, including means for mounting the movable portion for movement relative to the stationary portion about at least two mutually orthogonal axes, the steering means including a concave arced portion of the stationary portion of the housing that supports a spherical portion of the movable portion,
- wherein the directing means includes a light reflector mounted in the movable portion for joint movement therewith, and
- wherein the photodetector means includes a photodetector mounted remotely from the movable portion, and another optical fiber for conveying the reflected light from the movable portion to the photodetector.
5 more elements
In an electro-optical system for reading indicia having parts of different light reflectivity, an apparatus comprising:
- (a) a substantially spherically-shaped scan head having an exit port on a portion of the head;
- (b) means for emitting and directing a light beam along an outgoing path through the exit port toward indicia to be read;
- (c) means having a field of view for detecting at least a portion of light of variable intensity reflected along a return path off the indicia;
- and
- (d) means for adjustably mounting the scan head in curved portions of a casing of the apparatus to allow the scan head to move about at least one axis.
2 more elements
An arrangement in a light scanning system for reading indicia having parts of different light reflectivity, comprising:
- (a) a housing having a first portion including a curved edge, and a second substantially spherically-shaped portion movable relative to the first portion and engageable with the curved edge and defining an exit port for a beam of light;
- (b) means for emitting and directing a light beam along an optical path through the exit port toward indicia to be read;
- (c) photodetector means having a field of view and operative for detecting at least a portion of light of variable intensity reflected along a return path passing through the exit port off the indicia, and for generating an electrical signal indicative of the detected light intensity;
- and
- (d) means for adjustably steering said at least one of the light beam and the field of view to different courses, including means for mounting the second portion for movement relative to the first portion about at least one axis.
2 more elements
A system for reading symbols, comprising:
- (a) a hand-held scanning unit in a lightweight, portable housing including symbol-detection means for generating and directing a laser beam toward a symbol to be read, and for receiving reflected light from the symbol to produce electrical signals corresponding to data represented by the symbol;
- and read-control means for actuating the symbol-detection means to initiate reading of the symbol;
- and
- (b) a substantially spherically-shaped, beam-directing unit engaged with curved walls of the scanning unit for variable movement about at least one axis, including a light reflector for receiving the laser beam from the symbol-detection means and an exit port jointly movable with the beam-directing unit, thereby adjustably steering the laser beam to a particular course.
1 more element
A system for reading bar code symbols or the like, comprising:
- (a) a hand-held scanning unit in a lightweight, portable housing including symbol-detection means for generating and directing light toward a symbol to be read, and for receiving reflected light from the symbol over a field of view to produce electrical signals corresponding to data represented by the symbol;
- and read-control means for actuating the symbol-detection means to initiate reading of the symbol;
- and
- (b) a substantially spherically-shaped, field-of-view directing unit engaged with curved walls of the scanning unit for variable movement about at least one axis, including means for collecting the reflected light, and an exit port jointly movable with the field-of-view directing unit, thereby adjustably steering the field of view to receive the reflected light along a particular course.
1 more element
In a bar code reader in which a light beam is emitted from an exit port of a substantially spherically-shaped movable portion of a housing toward a bar code to be read for detecting the bar code over a field of view, the improvement which comprises means for changing the overall direction of at least one of the emitted beam and the field of view with respect to the housing by moving the substantially spherically-shaped movable portion about at least one axis, the movable portion being engaged with curved walls of the housing.
A method of reading indicia having parts of different light reflectivity in a light scanning system including:
- (a) forming a housing with a stationary portion is curved, and a substantially spherically-shaped movable portion engaged with the stationary portion having an exit port;
- (b) generating and directing a light beam along an optical path through the exit port toward indicia to be read;
- (c) detecting at least a portion of light of variable intensity reflected off the indicia over a field of view, and generating a signal indicative of the detected light intensity;
- (d) scanning at least one of said light beam and said field of view;
- and
- (e) moving the movable portion and the exit port relative to the stationary portion about at least one axis, and positioning the exit port at a desired location on the housing by rotating the exit port within an arced concave portion of the housing.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.