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US 7,007,844 B2Granted
Reader for electro-optically reading indicia through vertical window at which full coverage, omni-directional scan pattern is generated
AssigneeSymbol Technologies, Inc.
InventorsEdward Barkan, Howard Shepard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vertical slot scanner generates a full coverage scan pattern for reading symbols presented or moved past a vertical window. Scan lines are generated in upper and lower central regions of the window to improve scanner productivity.
Claims17
A reader for electro-optically reading indicia associated with objects passing through a point-of-transaction workstation having a countertop, the reader comprising:
- a) a housing supported on the countertop and having a window lying in a generally vertical plane when so supported;
- b) a rotary mirrored component mounted in the housing for rotation about an axis;
- c) a plurality of stationary, folding mirrors mounted in the housing and arranged generally about the axis;
- d) a light source mounted in the housing for generating a light beam;
- e) a light oscillator for oscillating and directing the light beam to the rotary component for reflection therefrom to the stationary mirrors for reflection therefrom through the window to the indicia to be read;
- and
- f) a drive in the housing for rotating the rotary component to sweep the oscillating light beam across the stationary mirrors and form a scan pattern comprising a plurality of scan lines at and past the window;
- g) wherein the stationary mirrors include a first pair of mirrors for reflecting first ones of the scan lines, a second pair of mirrors for reflecting second ones of the scan lines, and a third pair of mirrors intermediate, and tilted relative to, the first and second pairs of mirrors, for reflecting third ones of the scan lines at an upper central region of the window, thereby creating a full coverage omni-directional scan pattern for reading the indicia.
5 more elements
A reader for electro-optically reading indicia associated with objects passing through a point-of-transaction workstation having a countertop, the reader comprising:
- a) a housing supported on the countertop and having a window lying in a generally vertical plane when so supported;
- b) a rotary mirrored component mounted in the housing for rotation about an axis;
- c) a plurality of stationary, folding mirrors mounted in a non-overlapping relationship in the housing and arranged in succession along a row generally about the axis;
- d) a light source mounted in the housing and operative for generating and directing a light beam to the rotary component for reflection therefrom to the stationary mirrors for reflection therefrom through the window to the indicia to be read;
- and
- e) a drive in the housing for rotating the rotary component to sweep the light beam across the stationary mirrors and form a scan pattern comprising a plurality of scan lines at and past the window;
- f) wherein the stationary mirrors include a first pair of outer mirrors at opposite ends of the row for reflecting first ones of the scan lines, a second pair of inner mirrors located adjacent each other at a central region of the row for reflecting second ones of the scan lines, and a third pair of tilted mirrors intermediate, and tilted relative to, the first and second pairs of mirrors, each tilted mirror of the third pair being located between a respective mirror of the first pair and a respective mirror of the second pair, both tilted mirrors of the third pair being operative for reflecting third ones of the scan lines at an upper central region of the window, thereby creating a full coverage omni-directional scan pattern for reading the indicia.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.