Alignment apparatus and method for an imaging system
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorRichard Lynn Gardner, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein is an improved imaging system of the type having a photosensor package and at least one optical component, e.g, a lens, mounted within an optical assembly housing. The photosensor package may be mounted to a substrate, such as a printed circuit board, in a conventional manner. The substrate, however, may be formed having a shorter length than the photosensor package. This shorter length causes the ends of the photosensor package to extend beyond the substrate and, thus, be exposed. The exposed ends of the photosensor package, in turn, allow the photosensor package to be directly referenced to reference surfaces formed on the optical assembly housing.
Claims23
An imaging apparatus for producing machine-readable data representative of an imaged object, said imaging apparatus comprising:
- (a) an imaging apparatus housing, said imaging apparatus housing including at least one imaging apparatus housing first reference surface and at least one imaging apparatus housing second reference surface;
- (b) a photosensor assembly, said photosensor assembly including:
- a plurality of photosensor elements;
- a photosensor housing substantially enclosing said plurality of photosensor elements, said photosensor housing including at least one photosensor housing first reference surface;
- (c) at least one optical component located within said imaging apparatus housing;
- wherein said at least one photosensor housing first reference surface is in contact with said at least one imaging apparatus housing first reference surface and said at least one optical component is in contact with said at least one imaging apparatus housing second reference surface.
A method of assembling an imaging apparatus for producing machine-readable data representative of an imaged object, said method comprising:
- (a) providing an imaging apparatus housing, said imaging apparatus housing including at least one imaging apparatus housing first reference surface and at least one imaging apparatus housing second reference surface;
- (b) providing a photosensor assembly, said photosensor assembly including:
- a plurality of photosensor elements;
- a photosensor housing substantially enclosing said plurality of photosensor elements, said photosensor housing including at least one photosensor housing first reference surface;
- (c) aligning at least one optical component with said imaging apparatus housing by contacting said at least one optical component with said at least one imaging apparatus housing second reference surface;
- (d) aligning said photosensor housing with said imaging apparatus housing by contacting said at least one photosensor housing first reference surface with said at least one imaging apparatus housing first reference surface.
An imaging apparatus for producing machine-readable data representative of an imaged object, said imaging apparatus comprising:
- (a) an imaging apparatus housing
- (b) at least one optical component housed within said imaging apparatus housing;
- (c) a photosensor assembly attached to said imaging apparatus housing, said photosensor assembly having a photosensor assembly axis associated therewith and wherein said photosensor assembly includes:
- a substrate;
- a photosensor housing attached to said substrate;
- a plurality of photosensor elements housed within said photosensor housing;
- wherein said photosensor housing has a photosensor housing length measured in a direction parallel to said photosensor assembly axis;
- wherein said substrate has a substrate length measured in a direction parallel to said photosensor assembly axis;
- and
- wherein said photosensor housing length is greater than said substrate length.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.