Mirrored surface optical symbol scanner

An optical symbol scanner assembly for detecting and decoding a symbol lying on a surface of an article, the symbol comprising a pattern of areas of a non-mirror finish on a mirror-finish surface, the assembly comprising:

• a seamier device having a distal face on which is positioned light-generating means for producing illumination to fall on said symbol, and focusing means for focusing an image of said symbol on an imager device positioned proximally thereof in said scanner device, said focusing means defining an optic axis;
• and
• a diffuse illuminator mounted on the distal face of said scanner device, including an optical passageway having an optic axis aligned with the optic axis of said scanning device, and at least one light conductor member having a proximal face to receive illumination from said light-generating means and a diffuse distal face that appears as a uniform bar of diffuse illumination, such that when the scanner device is oriented at a predetermined angle with respect to the surface of said article, the light from the bar of diffuse illumination impinges on said symbol such that the scanner device views a reflected image of the diffuse bar reflected in said mirror surface with said non-mirror finish areas thereof creating dark, low-illumination areas in said reflected image, wherein each said light conductor is in the form of a transparent prism having a proximal face adjacent said light-generating means and a distal face from which the light exits, and at least one light-bending surface therein for deflecting said illumination at an angle relative to said optic axis, and a diffuser member positioned after said light-bending surface of said prism whereby the diffuser member appears as said bar of diffuse uniform illumination, and wherein the said passageway includes an opening in said prism permitting the reflected image of said diffuser member with said symbol imposed therein to pass undeflected back through said prism.

An optical symbol scanner assembly for detecting and decoding a two-dimensional optical symbol lying on a surface of an article, comprising

• a housing;
• a scanner device within said housing including an imager device and focusing means for focusing an image of said optical symbol on said imager device, said focusing means defining an optic axis;
• and
• a diffuse illuminator mounted in said housing along said optic axis and including an optical passageway having an optic axis aligned with the optic axis of said scanning device, having at least one light-generating means and having a light conduit with a proximal side facing said light-generating means and adjacent thereto, end a bar-shaped diffuse distal face on a distal side of the light conduit, with the light conduit carrying light from said light-generating means out to the diffuse distal face so that diffuse light exits the diffuse distal face, and the diffuse distal face appears as a bar of uniform diffuse illumination, such that when the scanner device is oriented at a predetermined angle with respect to the surface of said article, the bar of diffuse illumination impinges on said symbol such that the scanner device views a specular reflected image of the diffuse bar reflected from said surface of said article;
• with said selected areas of said two-dimensional symbol creating dark, low-illumination areas in said reflected image.