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US 6,631,845 B2Granted
Two window optical scanner
AssigneeSymbol Technologies, Inc.
InventorEdward Barkan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a scanning device for reading bar code symbols, wherein the scanning device comprises a housing having a substantially horizontal surface and a substantially vertical surface. A motor rotates a polygon mirror, which reflects a light beam from a light source and redirects it toward a mirror array and out a window in the substantially horizontal window. Another motor rotates another polygon mirror, which reflects a light beam from a second light source and redirects it toward a second mirror array and out a window in the substantially vertical surface. A plurality of sensors detects light reflected back from a bar code and generates a plurality of electrical signals proportional to the intensity of the reflected light.
Claims17
A scanning device for reading bar code symbols comprising:
- a housing having a substantially horizontal surface with a substantially horizontal window and a substantially vertical surface having a substantially vertical window;
- a first polygon mirror and a first stationary mirror array;
- a first motor for rotating said first polygon mirror;
- a first light source for generating a first light beam that reflects off said first polygon mirror to project a first plurality of scan lines through said substantially horizontal window;
- a second polygon mirror and a second stationary mirror array;
- a second motor independent of the first motor for rotating said second polygon mirror;
- a second light source for generating a second light beam that reflects off said second polygon mirror to project a second plurality of scan lines through said substantially vertical window;
- and
- a plurality of sensors for detecting the intensity of light from the first and second plurality of scan lines reflected by a bar code symbol and for generating electrical signals proportional to the intensity of said reflected light;
- wherein axes of rotation of said first and second motors are not substantially parallel.
7 more elements
A scanning device for reading bar code symbols comprising:
- a housing having a substantially horizontal surface with a substantially horizontal window and a substantially vertical surface having a substantially vertical window;
- a first polygon mirror and a first stationary mirror array;
- a first motor for rotating said first polygon mirror;
- a first light source for generating a first light beam that reflects off said first polygon mirror to project a first plurality of scan lines through said substantially horizontal window;
- a second polygon mirror and a second stationary mirror array;
- a second motor independent of the first motor for rotating said second polygon mirror;
- a second light source for generating a second light beam that reflects off said second polygon mirror to project a second plurality of scan lines through said substantially vertical window;
- a plurality of sensors for detecting the intensity of light from the first and second plurality of scan lines reflected by a bar code symbol and for generating electrical signals proportional to the intensity of said reflected light;
- and
- an indicator for indicating that said substantially vertical window is to be used when a component related to said first light source fails and for indicating that said substantially horizontal window is to be used when a component related to said second light source fails.
7 more elements
A scanning device for reading bar code symbols comprising:
- a housing having a substantially horizontal surface with a substantially horizontal window and a substantially vertical surface having a substantially vertical window;
- a first polygon mirror and a first stationary mirror array;
- a first motor for rotating said first polygon mirror;
- a first light source for generating a first light beam that reflects off said first polygon mirror to project a first plurality of scan lines through said substantially horizontal window;
- a second polygon mirror and a second stationary mirror array;
- a second motor independent of the first motor for rotating said second polygon mirror;
- a second light source for generating a second light beam that reflects off said second polygon mirror to project a second plurality of scan lines through said substantially vertical window;
- a plurality of sensors for detecting the intensity of light from the first and second plurality of scan lines reflected by a bar code symbol and for generating electrical signals proportional to the intensity of said reflected light;
- and
- wherein said first motor has a substantially vertical axis of rotation and said second motor has a substantially horizontal axis of rotation.
7 more elements
A scanning device for reading bar code symbols comprising:
- a housing having a substantially horizontal surface with a substantially horizontal window and a substantially vertical surface having a substantially vertical window;
- a first polygon mirror and a first stationary mirror array;
- a first motor for rotating said first polygon mirror;
- a first light source for generating a first light beam that reflects off said first polygon mirror to project a first plurality of scan lines through said substantially horizontal window;
- a second polygon mirror and a second stationary mirror array;
- a second motor independent of the first motor for rotating said second polygon mirror;
- a second light source for generating a second light beam that reflects off said second polygon mirror to project a second plurality of scan lines through said substantially vertical window;
- and
- a plurality of sensors for detecting the intensity of light from the first and second plurality of scan lines reflected by a bar code symbol and for generating electrical signals proportional to the intensity of said reflected light;
- wherein said first motor and said second motor rotate at different speeds.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.