US 5,691,834 AGranted

Ultra compact scanning system for a wide range of speeds, angles and field depth

AssigneeGEO Labs, Inc.

InventorGeorge A. Plesko

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

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Abstract

A non-contact light beam scan system small enough to fit into a hand holdable wand, pen or calculator size terminal incorporates a novel scan element which can scan at rates of ten to hundreds of scans per second in one or two dimensions. The device is immune to low frequency vibrations and can scan large angles of 60 degrees or more. Automatic trigger circuitry enables it to be used equally well in hand held or fixed mount applications. The depth of operating range is extended with a novel focal system which is integrated with the light source. The entire scanning system for generating a beam, focusing the beam electronically, scanning the beam, collecting light from a target and converting it into electrical signals, and automatically generating a trigger signal can work with industry standard low or high speed bar code decoders.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A light beam scanning system for scanning a target to read information therefrom, said system comprising a scan element for receiving a light beam and directing it toward a target as a scanning beam with an angular oscillatory movement of said beam, said scan element comprising:

a coil for carrying electric current, said coil having a coil axis and an opening along said coil axis;
a shaft having a shaft axis disposed substantially perpendicular to said coil axis;
a magnetic element mounted for rotation about said shaft axis in response to current in said coil and producing a magnetic field oriented generally perpendicular to said shaft axis;
a first beam-directing optical element coupled to said magnetic element for rotation therewith about said shaft axis;
a ferromagnetic circuit including at least one ferromagnetic element disposed with respect to said magnetic element so as to establish a minimum energy rotational orientation of said magnetic element in which said magnetic field of said magnetic element is oriented generally perpendicular to said coil axis;
and
a second beam-directing optical element which is cooperative with said first beam-directing optical element to impart a two dimensional scan pattern to the beam.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/785,793Filed 20 Jan 1997 · division
Priority: 15 Nov 1990
Granted: 25 Nov 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification34 codes

H02K 33/16
Motors with reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating magnet, armature or coil system: with polarised armatures moving in alternate directions by…
G02B 3/14
Fluid-filled or evacuated lenses: of variable focal length
G02B 26/10
For controlling the direction of light: scanning systems
G02B 26/101
Scanning systems: with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners

Family

Serial612,983Parent of this continuation · filed 15 Nov 1990
Serial745,905Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 16 Aug 1991
Serial776,663Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Oct 1991
Serial006,754Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 21 Jan 1993
Serial114,646Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 31 Aug 1993
Serial332,629Parent of this division · filed 31 Oct 1994
US 5,596,446 AParent of this division
US 5,469,291 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,187,612 AParent of this continuation
US 5,371,347 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,422,471 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,691,834 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.